Todd Phillips has always been a capable director and War Dogs may be the film that frees him from routine comedic work in the future. A mix of The Wolf of Wall Street (without the gratuitous sex and drugs), The Big Short (with streamlined narration), and The Social Network (with a slightly lighter tone), War Dogs a much more dramatic film than its trailers and TV spots might lead you to believe. A story about two 20-something arms dealers who get involved in the War on Terror, heavy moments come just as frequently as the comedic ones. With the help of a strong script and kinetic editing, War Dogs is attention-grabbing from the first shot and makes sure you stay entertained at the very least.
We are introduced to our narrator and main character David Packouz in the midst of his own kidnapping in a dingy industrial area before the first frame freeze occurs and Teller’s narration transports the viewer to the beginning of the story, which happens to be David smoking a joint in South Beach. The film gives a fair amount of time to its protagonist’s backstory before his childhood friend Efraim Diveroli is introduced. Jonah Hill’s presence is felt onscreen from the start. The actor’s comedic charisma breathes life into Efraim, making him instantly likable and granting the audience the same impression of him as David has.
There is comedy sprinkled in, but truth be told, the feeling of War Dogs is more along the lines of The Social Network. There is the occasional laugh, but not in the form of setups and punchlines, as in Phillip’s Hangover trilogy and Due Date. In fact, most of the humor is situational, with the jokes rarely coming in the form of dialogue, outside of what is included in the trailers. (The funniest part of the film just might be Efraim’s overdone laughter, something only Hill could pull off.) War Dogs has a surprising dramatic presence, which is explored through David’s relationship with his girlfriend (played by the charming Ana de Armas) and business tensions in the arm deals and internally in Efraim and David’s company, AEY.
Narration is the vehicle which takes the audience through the film and in this case, it works. The film is informative in the way that last year’s The Big Short was, but not weighed down by specifics. The details of war and the gun running business are surprisingly painless and are included in such a way that it almost feels natural, allowing War Dogs to keep its pace even with the start-stop editing and audience debriefing. Music is a useful transitional tool which smoothly keeps the film moving, drawing from familiar classic rock songs (“Fortunate Son”), the occasional more modern music (The Beastie Boys’ “So What’cha Want”), and an operatic piece for one impressive crane shot in a military warehouse. And speaking of camerawork, the cinematography is excellent throughout, with the camera being active but not flashy. Each shot composed in a way fitting for each scene. The cinematography Wars Dogs doesn’t offer anything new, but it is a noticeable improvement on the typical shot-reverse shot formula.
Is there anything about War Dogs that doesn’t work? Of course. Though well-paced, it feels like it is headed nowhere in the first act. Some of it feels unbelievable, despite the “based on a true story” claim. Its conclusion is less than satisfying for those interested in what happens to the supporting cast. In fact, the film doesn’t end all that gracefully. However, going in expecting a Todd Phillips Hangover-esque comedy and experiencing a well-balanced drama, I couldn’t have been happier with War Dogs and my criticisms are few.
Those theatergoers expecting to see the Todd Phillips who directed The Hangover may be disappointed that they aren’t getting more of the same at the box office this weekend, but those going in with an open mind are likely to walk out of War Dogs satisfied. It’s dramatic enough to be taken seriously but light enough to be fun. Teller and Hill are both excellent and prove their worth as actors versatile enough for a film that handles comedy and drama so well. War Dogs is a refreshing ride and the one of best films of the summer, hands down.
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