It should have been a slam-dunk. After all, this was Liman reuniting with Tom Cruise, telling the raggedy, true-life tale of a commercial pilot who wound up running drugs for both Pablo Escobar and the American government. It felt like a breath of fresh air for both Liman and Cruise — a smaller-scale, adult drama that would allow both to spread their wings, creatively.
Unfortunately, much of “American Made” feels repetitive and limp; not even Cruise’s typically electrifying performance could make up for what felt like a disjointed, scattershot affair. Worst of all, Liman’s aesthetic trademarks (the jangly camerawork and whip-fire editing) wound up overwhelmed the compelling narrative.
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