Tom Cruise’s Underrated Action Movie That’s Based on a True Story Is a Big Streaming Hit, 8 Years Later

These days, Tom Cruise is best known for his work in lucrative franchises such as Mission: Impossible and Top Gun, as he’s continued to add to those series with hit new installments. But in between outings as Ethan Hunt or Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Cruise has taken the time to make some standalone movies. Over the years, he’s developed a fruitful partnership with director Doug Liman, who helmed the fan-favorite sci-fi film Edge of Tomorrow. Viewers have been interested in a follow-up to that film for a while, but Cruise and Liman reunited for a very different kind of film years later — and now that film is making waves on streaming.

The movie in question is American Made, a crime dramedy that stars Cruise as pilot Barry Seal, who starts delivering contraband for the CIA and the Medellín cartel. According to FlixPatrol, which measures the popularity of titles on various streaming services, American Made is the No. 1 movie on Paramount+ in the United States, overtaking Fatman and Step Brothers for the top spot.

American Made Is One of Tom Cruise’s Most Underrated Movies

Despite featuring a big-name star in Cruise, American Made largely slipped under the radar in 2017. It wasn’t the biggest hit at the box office ($134.8 million worldwide against a $50 million budget) and it didn’t receive any prestigious award nominations. However, much like Edge of Tomorrow, American Made is worth checking out. It doesn’t exactly break new ground in terms of narrative (the “rise and fall” story archetype is well-worn in the crime genre), but it’s nevertheless an entertaining riff on an established formula, bolstered by a strong performance from Cruise. American Made still gives him opportunities for spectacle (see: the suburbia plane crash sequence), but it’s a different kind of film compared to Mission: Impossible or Top Gun. It’s fun to see Cruise in a movie like this; it’s the kind of film that would have been a big hit during the ’90s.

It doesn’t hurt that Cruise is surrounded by a stellar supporting cast that includes the likes of Domhnall Gleeson, Jesse Plemons, Sarah Wright, and Caleb Landry Jones. While Cruise is undoubtedly the main attraction, all of the actors involved do a great job with their characters. Gleeson is the standout amongst the supporting players, carving out a fun dynamic with Cruise in their interactions. The actors portraying cartel members such as Pablo Escobar and Jorge Ochoa are suitably intimidating screen presences, highlighting the increasing severity of Barry’s situation.

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American Made was clearly inspired by Martin Scorsese films (it perhaps isn’t a coincidence this tale of excess got the green light on the heels of The Wolf of Wall Street). Those who enjoy Scorsese’s works and the crime genre will find something to enjoy in American Made. Though Liman’s movie doesn’t strive for historical accuracy, it still makes for a stimulating telling of Barry Seal’s story through its blend of comedy, drama, and big-screen action. American Made was released in IMAX when it hit theaters, so it should look great on a home theater system.

It’s a shame Cruise and Liman haven’t worked together again in the eight years since American Made came out. The two have proven to be a great team, so it would be nice to see them collaborate on something again soon (there remains hope that the long-gestating Edge of Tomorrow 2 will eventually get off the ground). As viewers wait to see if Cruise and Liman will cross paths again, they at least have easy access to the films they have made.

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