American Made True Story: 10 Biggest Changes To Barry Seal’s Real Life

Barry Seal's Real-Life Story vs. American Made

The 2017 film American Made, featuring Tom Cruise as Barry Seal, took viewers on a thrilling journey through the Iran-Contra Affair and Barry Seal's involvement in drug smuggling for the CIA. However, the movie took significant liberties for storytelling and entertainment, blurring the line between reality and fiction. While the movie offered an attention-grabbing narrative, several elements and names were altered or entirely fictionalized for dramatic impact.

Barry (Tom Cruise) and Lucy (Sarah Wright) embracing in American Made

Tom Cruise's portrayal of Barry Seal highlighted the worlds of aviation, adrenaline addiction, drug smuggling, and government espionage. However, the real story of Barry Seal's life featured a complex web of events that differed in many ways from the cinematic account. From his relationships to his interactions with government agencies, the true story of Barry Seal diverges significantly from the narrative presented in American Made.

Barry (Tom Cruise) in a plane in American Made

The film's director, Doug Liman, described the movie as 'a fun lie based on a true story,' signaling that American Made wasn't intended as a documentary about the notorious informant. This distinction is crucial in understanding the liberties taken with Barry Seal's real-life experiences for the purpose of creating an entertaining and captivating film.

Lucy (Sarah Wright) looking sideways in American Made

Dramatized Characters and Events

The portrayal of characters and events in American Made often deviated from the real-life accounts of Barry Seal's experiences. For instance, the film introduced a character named Monty Schafer, played by Domhnall Gleeson, as a CIA handler who recruits Barry Seal in a bar. However, in reality, Monty Schafer never existed in Seal's life. The character was a composite created to streamline the story and represent various government connections that Seal may have had.

Monty (Domhall Gleeson) holding a map in his hand in American Made

Additionally, the film depicted dramatic events, such as the plane crash-landing scene, which never happened in real life. While Tom Cruise's performance in these intense action sequences added to the film's appeal, it's important to recognize the creative embellishments made for entertainment purposes.

Barry (Tom Cruise) in handcuffs in American Made

The love scene in zero gravity, a memorable moment in American Made, was purely fictional and inspired by director Doug Liman's imagination. These creative liberties, while captivating on screen, highlight the departure from the actual events in Barry Seal's life.

Tom Cruise as Barry Seal flying a plane in American Made.

Inaccurate Portrayals and Misconceptions

American Made presented several inaccuracies and misconceptions about Barry Seal's real-life experiences. One notable difference was the portrayal of Seal's involvement with Pablo Escobar and the Ochoa brothers. The film exaggerated Seal's relationship with the cartel bosses, depicting a close-knit connection that contradicted the actual timeline of events. In reality, Seal did not meet Escobar and the Ochoa brothers until after his arrest, while he was working as an informant for the DEA on an undercover operation.

Alejandro Edda as Jorge Ochoa in American Made and Jorge Ochoa in real life.

Furthermore, the film's depiction of Barry Seal's recruitment into the CIA, showing him being approached in a bar, lacked factual basis. While the recruitment scene added dramatic flair to the narrative, there is no evidence to support this portrayal of Seal's interaction with the CIA.

Barry (Tom Cruise) and Monty (Domhnall Glesson) stranded in American Made

Another significant misconception in American Made was the representation of Barry Seal's relationship with the CIA. The real Barry Seal consistently denied having worked directly for the CIA, and there is no concrete evidence to support the claims made in the film. This divergence from reality emphasizes the creative liberties taken in crafting the narrative for cinematic appeal.

Tom Cruise with his arms crossed as Barry Seal in American Made.