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    War Dogs

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    When I first saw trailers for “War Dogs”, I thought “No thanks! ” It would take a storytelling master to make me care about two arms-dealing mongrels that get upset because they didn’t quite make as many billions as they hoped. Then I thought about it and calmed down. Sure, Bradley Cooper is here doing his friend Todd Phillips (director of the Hangover trilogy) a favor, but both Miles Teller and Jonah Hill are talented actors. I figured I’d give it a shot and I found it to be pleasantly entertaining.

    Based on a true story, it begins when Efraim Diveroli (Hill) invites his high school buddy David Packouz (Teller) to come work for him. Together, they bid for government arms contracts, an industry that’s flourishing in 2007. The film chronicles the rise of Diveroli’s company AEY Inc. As the two get a lucky break, score some shady deals and start fulfilling big orders for the U. S. ’s forces in Afghanistan. How long before the bubble bursts and these two 20-somethings land themselves in a bind they can’t get themselves out of?

    As the film began, I was worried that “War Dogs” would glorify the lifestyle of the two protagonists and sugar coat the gravity of what they’re doing. It’s not as scathing a picture as one might expect, but as far as the film is concerned, they’re worth less than the weight in manure. We’re talking about unscrupulous money-makers who don’t care who wins or who loses as long as they’re able to take advantage of the U. S. government’s ludicrous military budget. They’re good at their job and for the most part aren’t doing anything illegal. You have to admire their handiwork, but the film doesn’t really ask you to like it. What keeps you interested is the fact that between the two protagonists, there is one that you can feel comfortable cheering for. It’s clear early on that David is the “good guy”, the one that used to work at a crappy job, where he was getting harassed, not getting paid nearly enough for what he has to put up with every shift, hit a lot of bad breaks… you know, an every man. He gets talked into a job where he can make thousands of dollars in a matter of weeks. Who wouldn’t take the chance, amoral as it may be, to sell bullets? When you’ve got a girlfriend and a kid on its way, you do what you need to put bread on the table, am I right?

    This film’s strength is in its humor and most importantly, in the performances by the leads. The story’s not bad. It’s entertaining though a tad familiar. You don’t have to be clairvoyant to know that a job that offers this much money is too good to be true. It’s due to Hill and Teller’s performance that I recommend the film. You forget that they’re playing roles. They were born to play these parts, so much that upon seeing pictures of the real Diveroli and Packouz at home while doing quick research, I thought to myself “Nah, that doesn’t feel right”. I can see why the two were drawn to this script. They both have their share of meaty scenes and memorable moments. I criticized the familiarity of the story but it’s nonetheless entertaining if only so you can tell yourself “Sure they’ve got all that money, but at least when I got to work I don’t have to deal with X”.

    “War Dogs” is a picture I’m going to categorize under “pleasant surprise”. I went in expecting to hate it, but I found myself laughing multiple times, learning a little bit about the U. S. military budget (and a bit of enlightenment is always a bonus in my book) and caring for these people at least enough that they do not end up face down in a puddle of blood in the middle of a deal gone bad. Thanks to a likable protagonist you can relate to, some very funny moments and strong performances, the film earns itself a recommendation from me. (Theatrical version on the big screen, August 20, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  22.8.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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