An engrossing true-crime tale spirited in its energy and potent in its execution, American Made delves into the belly of the US governments dealings in Central America with entertaining force, Tom Cruise delivering a swagger strong performance as smuggler Barry Seal.

All things drug cartel and CIA are the rage these days, and it’s easy to understand why. With government officials, drug barons, and maverick smugglers involved in the trade of drugs and arms worth millions in dollars and countless human lives, there is much dramatic juice to be found and formatted into tasty morsels of pop culture entertainment.

The latest to join the ranks is American Made, a true-crime biopic directed by Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) who brings to life the extraordinary story of Barry Seal with an energetic pace (courtesy of Oscar nominated editors Saar Klein, Andrew Mondshein and Dylan Tichenor), that probes into every nook and cranny of his labyrinthine journey from TWA pilot, to (alleged) CIA operative, to drug smuggler for the ruthless Medellin Cartel who had the notorious Pablo Escobar in their ranks.

Much like the similar themed Blow released in 2001 in which Johnny Depp played drug trafficker George Jung, American Made is played for high entertainment value without getting too heavily involved in the gritty, sadistic violence that comes part and parcel with the drug smuggling game. Indeed, as played by Tom Cruise in his most charismatic performance in years, the Barry Seal of American Made is a hot-dogging, Colgate smile flashing, high wire walking antihero, caught in the winds of a Cold War that forged American politics into Central America and in turn introduced the US of A into the biggest importer of cocaine.

Throughout the film Seal rubs shoulders with all kinds of influential figures from the beforementioned Escobar, to future Presidents of the United States George W. Bush Jr and Bill Clinton. Seal’s base of operations was actually in Mena, Arkansas, in which during that time Clinton was the Governor. Neither Democrat nor Republican is given a pass in American Made, yet Liman saves his biggest hits for the CIA as personified by Monty Shafer, who is played by Domhnall Gleeson with a smug and callous attitude towards his abuse of power and those whose lives he destroys by wielding it.

Much will be made about the historical accuracy of American Made, just like every other biopic before it. Yet as a semi-fictionalised look at modern history and the man who “always delivered” for those in power, American Made is essential viewing.