War Dogs, in the tradition of Mash, uses humor to underscore the lunacy of war and the ‘military industrial complex.’ Two Yeshiva boys, Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz, set out to make a killing (no pun intended) on weapons contracts with the Pentagon. Based on a true story, the twentysomethings figure out that there’s money to be had, lots of it, in linking the military to ‘smaller’ ordnance contracts that big defense contractors don’t want to bother with. Problems arise when the lure of ever-bigger profits blurs the boundary of legitimacy and, more important for Packouz, integrity. Bradley Cooper plays a scary hotshot arms dealer, with the starring roles going to Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. They are terrific as the pathological Diveroli and the conflicted Packouz, respectively.
Should You See It? Yes! It’s a don’t-miss. —D.W.
Viewed at The Esquire Theatre
