I’ve seen some criticism of “War Dogs” as just another bro comedy. I feel these critics miss the point entirely. Yes, the film is filled with bro humor, but only because its focus is on bros. The film is an account of two young men, bros as it were, given the opportunity to be international arms dealers during the Iraq war. The comedy and their actions are representative of their culture, not an endorsement. It’s a smart film about dumb characters just as Michael Bay’s “Pain and Gain” was.
The characters in “War Dogs” aren’t as dumb as the ones in “Pain and Gain.” On the contrary, they’re actually quite smart. David Packouz (Miles Teller) is a bright and resourceful young man crippled by a lack of ambition. He drifts through life after dropping out of college, making money via massage therapy and selling bedsheets to retirement homes in Florida. Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) is his former best friend, a sly con man who manipulates his victims by feeding into their desires. He will become the person his target wants him to be, such as a wholesome young Jewish man dealing guns to the government to aid his fellow man. This is the persona he uses to trick Ralph Slutzky (Kevin Pollak), the owner of multiple dry cleaners, into supplying him the funds for his operation.
His operation is AEY Inc. and its product is guns. He sells them to the government, army men such as Captain Philip Santos (Patrick St. Esprit), and even those on the terrorist watchlist such as Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper). All of these factors pose significant threats, but they take a backseat to the biggest threat of all: Efraim himself. David as well, but to a lesser extent. He’s only wrapped up in this game to support his newborn child to his girlfriend, Iz (the sweet but wooden Ana de Armas). Efraim is the true threat, driven by greed and selfishness.
The film is as much of a crime thriller as it is a comedy. The comedy only comes out of the preposterous events the duo get involved in, such as running guns through the Triangle of Death. Seeing as how both are stoners, it’s only appropriate for them to be cackling buffoons in the face of danger. David is more grounded, the straight man to Efraim’s demented wild persona. David thinks with reason while Efraim takes joy in chaos, such as brandishing a machine gun to scare off drug dealers who stole money from him. There’s no denying who the real threat here is.
The crime thriller aspect comes into play in the form of social commentary. Todd Phillips not-too-subtly deconstructs the American Dream for what it truly is: a selfish and corrupt immoral compass driven by greed. It makes prisoners out of the wholesome and criminals out of the willing. Even David isn’t spared, a susceptible soul who revels in the greed until he’s too far gone and realizes his mistake. The eventual downfall of AEY is humorous in its absurd yet believable lack of foresight on the owners’ part.
Todd Phillips was very much inspired by Martin Scorsese, almost to the point that he apes him a little too much. He is more concerned with dissecting his characters than the overall situation. The film is about David and Efraim more than it is about the arms deals or the impending threat of the icy Henry Girard (who is admittedly introduced a bit too late into the proceedings). What drives them is their true enemy, not the warzones they travail through. They feel in danger because of themselves, not because of their situation.
The reason “War Dogs” works so well is because of its casting of Miles Teller and Jonah Hill. Both are phenomenal in their roles! Miles finds the right balance between aloof stoner and responsible adult, showing tremendous development throughout. Jonah commands the screen as a slimy and boisterous lout, his signature obnoxious laugh a clever touch! The two make a formidable team, working off of each other well. They’re believable as allies just as much as they are foes. Even if the film around them were to stumble, their performances are strong enough to keep one engaged. Thankfully, they’re surrounded by quality!
“War Dogs” is a smart crime thriller disguised as a bro comedy. It is never lowbrow, even if its characters act it at points. It’s a fascinating character study with an obvious yet potent social commentary. It may seem dumb on the surface, but it’s far from it.
Final Rating: B+