WAR DOGS (2016)

Summary:

Based on a true story, "War Dogs" chronicles the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, two childhood friends from Miami Beach who exploit a little-known government initiative allowing small businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts. Starting with meager means and working out of a small apartment, they gradually secure increasingly lucrative deals, eventually landing a massive $300 million contract to supply ammunition to the Afghan army. Their journey from small-time hustlers to international arms dealers is fueled by ambition, greed, and a reckless disregard for international law.

The film explores the dark underbelly of military contracting, the ethical compromises made for profit, and the corrosive effect of immense wealth on friendship and morality. As their operation grows, David and Efraim find themselves entangled with shady characters and dangerous situations, leading them down a path of betrayal and ultimately, federal indictment. It's a darkly comedic yet cautionary tale about the American dream gone awry in the morally ambiguous world of wartime profiteering.

Keywords: War Dogs, 2016, Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Bradley Cooper, Biographical, Crime, Comedy-Drama.

Plot:

The story opens in 2005, introducing David Packouz (Miles Teller), a struggling massage therapist living in Miami Beach. David is a well-meaning but somewhat aimless young man, attempting to make a living selling high-thread-count sheets to retirement homes and failing miserably. His girlfriend, Iz (Ana de Armas), reveals she is pregnant, adding immense pressure to David's already strained financial situation. Feeling the weight of impending fatherhood, David yearns for a breakthrough. His life takes an unexpected turn when he reconnects with his estranged childhood friend, Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), at a funeral. Efraim, a flashy and charismatic figure, has returned to Miami after a stint in Los Angeles and is now running a small arms dealing company called AEY Inc., operating out of a cramped apartment. He boasts about exploiting a post-9/11 government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts, often overlooked by larger corporations. Intrigued and desperate for money, David is initially skeptical but soon drawn in by Efraim's intoxicating blend of ambition, bravado, and a seemingly endless supply of marijuana.

David reluctantly joins AEY, initially working for a paltry salary, but quickly becomes immersed in the cutthroat world of international arms dealing. Their early successes are modest, securing small contracts for items like Beretta pistols and helmets. David, with his more cautious and analytical mind, balances Efraim's reckless impulsiveness. Their first significant break comes when they win a contract to supply thousands of body armor vests to Iraqi forces. The catch: the original supplier backs out at the last minute, leaving AEY scrambling. To fulfill the order, David embarks on a perilous journey to Jordan, navigating dangerous checkpoints and bribing officials to secure the shipment. This harrowing experience, culminating in the successful delivery, solidifies their partnership and builds their confidence. AEY begins to flourish, moving into a larger office and hiring a small team, all while maintaining their façade as legitimate government contractors. However, beneath the surface, Efraim's ethical boundaries are increasingly fluid, a trait David finds unsettling but overlooks due to the surging profits.

Their biggest opportunity arises in 2007 when they stumble upon a massive $300 million Pentagon contract to supply 100 million rounds of ammunition for AK-47s and other weapons to the Afghan National Army. The contract, issued during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is too large for most small companies, yet too small to attract the attention of major defense contractors. The primary challenge is finding such a colossal quantity of non-Chinese ammunition, as U.S. law prohibits the military from purchasing Chinese-made weaponry for allies. After extensive searching, David discovers a massive stockpile of Yugoslavian-era ammunition in Albania, available for a fraction of the price. The only problem: a significant portion of the ammunition is Chinese-made, manufactured decades prior for Albania's communist regime. Efraim, driven by the immense profit margins and his characteristic disregard for rules, makes the unilateral decision to acquire the Chinese ammunition and then illegally repackage it in Albania to conceal its origin, a blatant violation of the contract and federal law. David expresses strong moral objections, fearing the legal repercussions and the ethical implications, but Efraim's persuasive charm and the lure of astronomical profits ultimately sway him.

To oversee the repackaging operation, David and Efraim travel to Albania, a chaotic and impoverished country. There, they encounter the mysterious and dangerous international arms dealer, Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper), who is facilitating the Albanian deal. Girard, a figure on the U.S. watch list for past illicit activities, demands his terms and exerts a menacing presence, further unnerving David. The repackaging process itself is a nightmarish ordeal, carried out in squalid conditions by underpaid laborers, racing against the clock to meet the delivery deadline. The sheer scale of the operation and the constant pressure begin to fray David and Efraim's already strained friendship. The situation takes a disastrous turn when a journalist, following a tip, exposes the Chinese origin of the ammunition and AEY's involvement in the deal. The Pentagon, alerted to the scandal, halts payments to AEY and initiates a federal investigation, effectively shutting down their operation and leaving them with millions of dollars in unpaid invoices and a warehouse full of illegal ammunition.

With their business crumbling and the FBI closing in, the partnership between David and Efraim completely disintegrates. Efraim, in a desperate attempt to salvage his own skin and consolidate assets, attempts to cut David out of their remaining payments and profits, refusing to pay him his rightful share. Feeling betrayed and cornered, David, now with a newborn daughter and facing severe legal consequences, makes a desperate move. He contacts Henry Girard, hoping Girard can pressure Efraim into paying him. This leads to a terrifying confrontation where Girard's henchmen kidnap David, take him to a deserted location, and threaten his life unless he secures Girard's payment from Efraim. Barely escaping, David realizes the depth of the danger he is in and the true nature of the people he has aligned himself with. With no other options, David contacts the FBI and agrees to cooperate, wearing a wire to record Efraim admitting to his fraudulent activities.

David's cooperation leads to Efraim's arrest. The FBI charges Efraim with 89 counts of fraud and conspiracy. Due to his cooperation, David is offered a plea bargain, significantly reducing his sentence. Efraim, refusing to cooperate, is eventually sentenced to four years in federal prison. David, in contrast, receives seven months of house arrest for his involvement in the scheme. The film concludes with David reflecting on the events, now a single father raising his daughter. He eventually receives an unexpected visit from Henry Girard. Girard, seemingly untouched by the legal fallout that ensnared David and Efraim, hands David a briefcase full of cash, explaining it's a "finder's fee" for the Albanian deal, implying that he ultimately profited handsomely from the chaos while remaining above the law. The film ends on an ambiguous note, leaving David to contemplate the morally complex world he briefly inhabited and the lasting consequences of chasing the American dream through illicit means.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli
• Miles Teller as David Packouz
• Ana de Armas as Iz
• Bradley Cooper as Henry Girard

Crew:

• Director: Todd Phillips
• Screenplay: Todd Phillips, Stephen Chin, Jason Smilovic
• Based on: The Rolling Stone article "Arms and the Dudes" by Guy Lawson
• Producers: Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, Mark Gordon
• Cinematography: Lawrence Sher
• Film Editing: Jeff Groth

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: August 19, 2016
• Language: English
• Genre: Biographical Crime Comedy-Drama
• Running Time: 114 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Jonah Hill).