Five reasons to watch ‘War Dogs’
Todd Phillips brings the crazy true-life story of arms dealers Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) and David Packouz (Miles Teller) to the big screen in War Dogs — a laugh out loud, war-drenched comedy of just how crazy the American Dream can be.
War Dogs follows the shocking true-life story of Diveroli and Packouz, two best friends who were able to secure a $300 million government contract to supply arms for U.S. Allies in Afghanistan. Before they knew it they were rolling in the cash, but just as quickly as it had begun it all came crashing down.
5. Miami baby
The sun, sand, and exotic nightlife of Miami Beach imbue every frame of Phillips’ War Dogs, and this exotic neon playground of skyscrapers and sass delivers on the sexiness and danger that comes with the job of gunrunning. When the boys finally do hit it big, they really begin to party, and that leads to lots of fast cars, cool suits, and plenty of illegal substances. The setting of Miami really gives the film its stylistic edge, and becomes a character in itself.
4. Bradley Cooper – Stone Cold Gangster
Stepping into the role of international arms dealer Henri Giraud comes Todd Phillips’ regular Bradley Cooper…but he’s not here for laughs. Cooper’s Giraud is a stone cold gangster who never cracks a smile, and whose icy demeanour sees right through Efraim and David’s wild delusions. There’s a very clear menace to Cooper’s performance, and for anyone wanting to know what would happen if Cooper went full villain, well, they’ll get their answer here.
3. Hustlin’
Efraim and David were all about business, and their ability to hustle and ‘read between the lines’ leads them to wealth beyond their wildest dreams. War Dogs is also another great addition to the rising genre of entrepreneur-oriented films that have been gripping audiences over the last decade (think The Social Network and The Wolf of Wall Street). But instead of following suit, War Dogs forges its own path with highly entertaining results.
2. The triangle of death
You can’t be a gunrunner and not run guns, and in Efraim and David’s coveted first deal, which they refer to as the ‘Beretta Deal’, they end up in the middle of Iraq travelling through the desert in a desperate effort to meet their deadline. It’s nothing short of nail biting hilarity as Hill’s Efraim jumps behind the wheel and floors it as they try to outrun a group of insurgents bent on killing them. Needless to say this mad episode results in some outlandish bragging rights.
1. Arms and the Dudes
War Dogs undoubtedly belongs to stars Miles Teller and Jonah Hill.
Teller’s David is the every-man of this tale, a regular guy who finds himself in the middle of a fortune. But when his doubts begin to play on his mind he soon finds himself in a deadly situation that he might not get out of. In direct contrast there’s Hill, who is having the time of his life as the outlandish and over the top Efraim. Driven by nothing more than a sickly greed for money, he does whatever he can to amass it, and his decisions eat away at Teller’s David. This vastly different character dynamic makes for plenty of entertaining scenes, and proves why these young two performers are taking Hollywood by storm.
Image: Roadshow Films
