American Made Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

5. Doug Liman's Assured Direction

Doug Liman has proven himself to be an extremely talented filmmaker time and time again, and his latest collaboration with Cruise only reinforces what a steady pair of hands he really is.

Liman opts to shoot the film handheld to evoke a documentary feel, and while it does result in some rough, messy images now and then, it also gives the film an agreeably on-the-ground level of intimacy.

Considering the film's general chaos and frequently wavering tone, in lesser hands it could've easily felt rather clumsy and haphazard, but Liman knows what he's doing, and makes mostly smart choices from an aesthetic and storytelling perspective.