'I'm the gringo who always delivers.'

Rating: 8/10 (7 January 2018)

'I'm the gringo who always delivers.'
Based on a true story as written by screenwriter Gary Spinelli and directed with skill by Doug Liman, the facts are fascinating (the back story of the Iran-Contra affair), the multileveled changes to the story line pointing out the corruption and misdirection of the US in Central American affairs - all is brought to credible levels by the superb performance of Tom Cruise.
The film is cleverly related in video flashback segments made by the lead character Barry Seal. Opening in the year 1978, Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) works as a pilot for Trans World Airlines. He is married to Lucy (Sarah Wright) and has two children with her, with a third on the way. Barry was recruited by the CIA (via agent Monty Schaefer played well by Domhnall Gleeson) who offers Barry better money by taking on reconnaissance missions for the CIA in a smaller plane with cameras just south of the border. Schafer convinces Barry that he would be working for the good guys, but it would have to be kept completely secret, even from his own family. He then lets Barry take the plane out for a ride. Through a series of odd circumstances Barry becomes a drug-runner, catches the attention of the Medellín Cartel associated with Pablo Escobar (Mauricio Mejia) who needs a man with his skill set. Barry becomes a drug trafficker, gun smuggler and money launderer. Schafer asks Barry to carry weapons for the Contras in Nicaragua. Barry invites pilots that are his friends and plots routes to smuggle drugs for the cartel. The CIA closes eyes to the scheme and Barry becomes richer and richer. He uses the Arkansas town Mena to laundry his money. But the DEA and the FBI are tracking him down. When the CIA shuts down the scheme, Barry is left alone and arrested by the agencies. Barry's wife's brother JB (Caleb Landry Jones) is a freeloader who adds to the mounting problems and tragedies.
To add to the sense of reality the film includes snippets of President Reagan's speeches and brig sin Oliver North (Robert Farrior), offers extended shots of flying the planes of the mission, and keeps the dialog in Central America in Spanish. The cast is strong, but the film goes on too long - the saving grace is the performance of tom Cruise who is wholly convincing as the now infamous Barry Seal> A bit of history that now somehow seems more credible than when it was first reported!