War Dogs
Two lifelong friends, David Packouz (Miles Teller) and Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) hit it big with the U.S. government selling arms to the Pentagon. Specifically, supplying America’s allies in Afghanistan– a logistical and political nightmare. How the duo managed to pull off the $300 million dollar contract, a rise and fall from grace, this is their story.
Directed and partially written by Todd Phillips, this situationaly comedic story based on true events shouldn’t surprise anyone with a cursory knowledge of modern U.S. history and economics; this go round, shining the spotlight on the U.S. military and capitalism. The upside, Teller and Hill are relatively believable in their roles, although Hill doesn’t seem to really be acting, and the story is one that should definitely be told and heard. The downside, the turns and twists to create a really compelling story are never fully developed and we don’t really ever care that much about our leads. End result, a film that metaphorically mimics it’s plot, it never completely delivers the goods and feels a bit hollow. Maybe worth a rental later. War Dogs is rated R.