His story makes for an incredible tale, which is basically why it was turned into a Hollywood film, but Seal was also a rather terrible person, and much to Tom Cruise’s delight test audiences recognized that through his performance.
Knowing what American Made is about, it’s easy to understand why test audiences weren’t a fan of Barry Seal — who back in the late 1970s and early 1980s established himself as one of the most successful drug smugglers in United States history.
A former TWA airline pilot, he took advantage of a deal with the CIA to transport Colombian cocaine for the Medellín Cartel, and not only made more money than he knew what to do with, but also totally skated by thanks to his government connections.