War Dogs

      Based on a true story (but heavily fictionalized) this new film from director Todd Phillips is fascinating in its subject matter and entertaing enough due to it's stars, Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.

       It's far from a great film, containing too much unnecessary profanity that I found distracting, but Mr. Hill and Mr. Teller keep it interesting. What drives the story is the reality that two young "bros" from Miami managed to become international arms dealers making millions selling weapons to the U.S. military. 

      Bradley Cooper is a co-producer and has a supporting role that amounts to little more than a cameo. The film also co-stars Ana de Armas as Mr. Teller's girlfriend.

      Is there fun in watching bad men doing bad things that end badly? As outsiders looking in, there is a certain visceral thrill for the audience watching Mr. Hill as the vulgar and just a bit psychotic, Efraim, lie, cheat and double cross his way to a fortune. While at the same time, Mr. Teller, as David, loses his moral compass by the lure of easy money.

         To keep the story more entertaining for a general audience, many scenes have been fabricated but serve their purpose. There is an ugly truth in this morality tale that our government's shady global dealings only prove war equals profit for far too many people.