What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAmerican Made
Doug Liman · Film · 2017
If you loved American Made, start with Narcos: Mexico (Doug Miro, 2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to American Made across media.
You enjoyed American Made for how it exposes the messy, dangerous intersection of individual ambition and institutional corruption throughout history.
Books on the same thread
American Prometheus
Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin · Book
Shares a thread with American Made: Moral ambiguity.
Like the moral ambiguity found in American Made, this biography examines the heavy personal toll and ethical compromises required when operating within the highest levels of government power.
American Psycho
Bret Easton Ellis · Book · 1991
Shares a thread with American Made: Dark comedy.
If the cynical, satirical edge of American Made resonated with you, this classic offers a similarly dark, unflinching look at the extreme consequences of unchecked ego and materialism.
American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History
Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice · Book · 2015
Explores: Warfare, Military Life, PTSD.
This memoir mirrors the military-industrial focus of American Made, providing a firsthand perspective on the complex, often blurred lines of duty and morality in modern warfare operations.
Based on a True Story
Norm Macdonald · Book · 2017
Explores: unreliable narrator, fame, existential dread.
Much like the chaotic, fast-paced narrative of American Made, this satirical memoir uses an unreliable narrator to blur the truth, making the absurdity of fame feel profoundly real.
Series on the same thread
Narcos: Mexico
Doug Miro · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with American Made: Biographical Crime.
This series captures the same 1980s drug trade intensity seen in American Made, focusing on the dangerous, corruptible power dynamics between cartels and those meant to enforce law.
Narcos
Chris Brancato · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with American Made: Moral Ambiguity, Biographical Crime.
You will appreciate how this gritty chronicle dissects the same systemic corruption and high-stakes power plays that defined the illicit world depicted throughout the film American Made.
Miami Vice
Anthony Yerkovich · Series · 1984
Shares a thread with American Made: Moral ambiguity.
This series shares the neon-soaked, high-stakes atmosphere of American Made, focusing on the blurred lines and moral compromises faced by those working on the frontlines of drug trafficking.
Pablo Escobar: The Drug Lord
Carlos Moreno · Series · 2012
Explores: Rise and Fall, Organized Crime, Corruption.
This drama provides the origin story of the criminal empires that Barry Seal navigated in American Made, highlighting the brutal rise and inevitable fall of powerful kingpins.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell
Podcast
Explores: Drug Trafficking, War on Drugs, Prison Life.
If you were fascinated by the real-world criminal underworld portrayed in American Made, this podcast offers an authentic, ground-level look at the human cost of the drug war.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
This podcast echoes the dark, investigative humor found in American Made, finding the absurdity and scandal within the high-stakes world of people who live outside the law.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is American Made based on a true story?
Yes, American Made is based on the true story of pilot Barry Seal. The film depicts his life in the 1980s as he worked as a pilot transporting contraband for both the CIA and the Medellin cartel.
What is the premise of American Made?
American Made follows the life of Barry Seal, a pilot who becomes involved in illegal operations during the 1980s. The film focuses on his dual role transporting contraband for the CIA and the Medellin cartel while navigating the dangerous landscape of international drug trafficking.
Who directed American Made?
The 2017 film American Made was directed by Doug Liman. The movie serves as a biographical account of Barry Seal, detailing his involvement with the Medellin cartel and the CIA throughout his career as a pilot in the 1980s.
Does American Made feature the Medellin cartel?
Yes, the Medellin cartel is a central part of the story in American Made. The plot details how pilot Barry Seal transported contraband for the cartel while simultaneously working for the CIA during the 1980s.