Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Tom Cruise | ... | Barry Seal | |
Domhnall Gleeson | ... | Monty 'Schafer' | |
Sarah Wright | ... | Lucy Seal | |
Jesse Plemons | ... | Sheriff Downing | |
Caleb Landry Jones | ... | JB | |
Lola Kirke | ... | Judy Downing | |
Jayma Mays | ... | Dana Sibota | |
Alejandro Edda | ... | Jorge Ochoa | |
Benito Martinez | ... | James Rangel | |
E. Roger Mitchell | ... | Agent Craig McCall | |
Jed Rees | ... | Louis Finkle | |
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Fredy Yate | ... | Carlos Lehder (as Fredy Yate Escobar) |
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Mauricio Mejía | ... | Pablo Escobar |
Robert Farrior | ... | Oliver North | |
Morgan Hinkleman | ... | Christina |
Barry Seal was just an ordinary pilot who worked for TWA before he was recruited by the CIA in 1978. His work in South America eventually caught the eye of the Medellín Cartel, associated with Pablo Escobar, who needed a man with his skill set. Barry became a drug trafficker, gun smuggler and money launderer. Soon acquiring the title, 'The gringo that always delivers'. Written by Viir khubchandani
The plot is loosely based on the real story of Barry Seal, a TWA pilot who worked for the CIA and also as a drug and weapons smuggler.
Cruise is in top form as Barry, the reckless pilot who abandons the safe but boring job of airline pilot to embark on a little spying. The aerial photographing of Central America soon turns into more dangerous assignments, reaching the point of no return when Barry starts working for the Medellin cartel.
Weapons smuggling is added into the mix, together with training Nicaraguan Contras. It's a major political mess, during which Barry manages to earn huge amounts of cash, for which he must find creative hiding places (think Breaking Bad, but funnier).
The film is brilliantly edited, with an authentic feeling for the period (it takes place between the end of the 70s and 1986). The main narrative is interspersed with Barry recording events chronologically and his effort will make sense at the end.
Even if the story is not about funny events, the ride is most agreeable.