War Dogs (2016)

“War Dogs” stars Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, and Bradley Cooper.  Released on August 19, 2016, the film is about two 20-something-year-old arms dealers who supply the U.S. military with weapons and ammunition.

The film is directed by Todd Phillips, who also directed films such as Old School, The Hangover, and Due Date.  It is based on a Rolling Stone article “Arms and the Dudes” by Guy Lawson.  Before you asked, this film is based on true events.  I didn’t actually know about the events that happened until I saw the film for myself.  It’s pretty surprising on what you can learn from movies nowadays.  Anyway, I only heard of Todd Phillips from the Hangover films and Due Date, which were R-rated comedies, so it’s interesting that he’s directing something that’s more...dramatic.  But does his style really fit the film’s tone?

Pros:
The performances were good, especially Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.

The chemistry between Hill and Teller.

Phillips’ direction was a bit impressive.

The social commentary about arms dealing was well told.

Cons:
A bit overlong.

The story does get a bit rough at times.

Final thoughts: “War Dogs” offers a realistic, yet engaging, R-rated tale about the consequences of arms dealing.  It does feel a bit longer than its running time (114 minutes) and the story doesn’t exactly reach its highest peak, but the film supplied me with the chemistry between the two main actors and its exploration on arms dealing.  I would recommend it to those who liked some of Jonah Hill’s other films and comedy-dramas.

B