‘War Dogs’ turns out to be incredibly exciting, well-done

I went to see “War Dogs” with a sense of dread. But I found it to be different than what I expected: clever, and well done.

The screen comes alive with Bradley Cooper. He plays a rather sinister but very charismatic arms dealer who is on every terrorist watch list.

He ends up working with two goofballs and high school dropouts played by Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. The two become wealthy as international arms merchants in their early 20s.

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It’s a true story. They were involved in the Iraq War. These two guys, who know nothing about arms dealing, get caught up in some pretty nasty stuff. It’s mad, but it’s true.

Jonah Hill, who typically owns the fat sidekick role, is the main character in this film. He plays someone who comes off as a kind of evil genius, but you don’t really know until the end if he’s a good guy with an edge or just the worst person in the world who manipulates people. You keep guessing.

His best friend from high school is played by Teller. You’re sympathetic toward him because he has a young wife and daughter who he is trying to provide for.

The two end up taking a contract to provide ammunition for the Afghan army. These guys have no clue, but they sign the contract. The movie is about the crazy and dangerous ways in which they try to complete the contract.

Though the film is directed by Todd Phillips, the same guy who did the Hangover series, “War Dogs” isn’t about laughs. It turns out to be a serious and alarming film.

The film is exceptionally well-done. Every performance, including minor roles, is outstanding.

“War Dogs is rated a very hard “R.”

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