War Dogs

Todd Phillips's 2016 film follows two young men who enter bidding for arms supply contracts. They start small and win a large one. The contract is bigger than they can carry. The film rests on a real case; the narrative builds their rise as comedy and gives the collapse at the same speed. Miles Teller and Jonah Hill lead. It is adapted from a magazine article. The language is explicit. Who it's for: those who like true story adaptations and black comedy. Who it's not for: viewers who care about their moral ground; the film does not vindicate them but keeps them entertaining for a long stretch.