American Made is about as close to a true story as Fargo was claimed to be. That is, not in any way. Doug Liman takes the bit between the teeth and attempts to make some sort of adventure comedy about a guy, who undoubtedly while having a pair, was likely to be a greedy creep. That Liman succeeds to an extent, is largely due to his directorial skills, Tom Cruise's natural charisma and Gary Spinelli's script, which serves up an entertaining blend of one part fact, mixed with four parts fiction.

Cruise, who is the physical antithesis of the real life character he plays, brings a boyishly devil-may-care exuberance to his role of Barry Seal. Seal was a former TWA pilot who may or may not have flown missions for the CIA, but eventually did become a drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel in the 1980s.

Punters who love Cruise and fancy a "Jesse James was really a fun guy looking for a few thrills" type of story will undoubtedly enjoy this lively romp, which features many historical figures earnestly addressing the screen in newsreel footage seamlessly integrated into the central narrative. Me, I just couldn't shrug the feeling that despite the professionalism of all concerned with the production, this is a story that didn't really need to be told in this format. Seal was no Indiana Jones type hero, who was seeking the betterment of his immediate community. He was as crooked as they come and ultimately probably got what he deserved.