Tom Cruise's Underrated Crime Thriller That's "Better Than 'Top Gun'" Makes a Comeback on Streaming Actorsvaultpro

Give Tom Cruise an excuse to get into a plane, and he’ll turn it into an entire movie. Top Gun is easily his most popular aviation-based film, with the recent legacy sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, coming in second. But one of Cruise’s most underrated action thrillers, in which he gives his best performance in years, is finally getting the attention it deserves on streaming. Forget Top Gun, because American Made is the Tom Cruise movie that is currently soaring on the streaming charts.

American Made is currently streaming on Peacock. The film has seen a resurgence in popularity this week, as it is currently the eighth most popular movie on the platform (at the time of writing). Directed by Edge of Tomorrow‘s Doug Liman, American Made is based on the true story of Barry Seal, a former airline pilot who became a drug and arms smuggler for both the CIA and cartels. Cruise played Barry, giving him yet another chance to get in the cockpit of a plane. But, instead of shooting down enemy jets, he’s trying to sneak across international borders unnoticed. The official synopsis reads:

“Barry Seal, a TWA pilot, is recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the burgeoning communist threat in Central America and soon finds himself in charge of one of the biggest covert CIA operations in the history of the United States. The operation spawns the birth of the Medellin cartel and almost brings down the Reagan White House.”

Alongside Cruise, the film also stars Sarah Wright, Domhnall Gleeson, Jesse Plemons, Caleb Landy Jones, Jayma Mays, and Lola Kirke. American Made is another of Tom Cruise’s fan-favorite thrillers, even if it’s not his most well-known. Released in 2017, the film grossed $134.8 million worldwide, against a budget of $50 million, making it a decent success.

Tom Cruise Fans Love ‘American Made’

Barry flies a plane in American Made

Universal Pictures

Tom Cruise is often hailed as “the last true movie star,” as the actor can sell a film on his name alone. Fans will always have their favorites, with some prefering classics like Jerry McGuire, while others embrace his modern action movies like Edge of Tomorrow and the Mission: Impossible franchise. But American Made‘s popularity is nothing to scoff at.

Critics and audiences embraced the film when it was released in theaters. It is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 85% rating. Audiences awarded it a similar 79% rating. It might not seem that high, but those who love American Made LOVE it. “Classic Cruise Banger,” wrote one user, while another said, “American Made might push Cruise further along his evolution to more interesting, character-based roles. One doesn’t expect an immediate return to iconic roles like Vincent Lauria or T.J. Mackey, but hopefully Barry Seal is just the start.” Some were even going so far as calling American Made “better than Top Gun.” Whether you agree with that extreme praise is up to you, but don’t sleep on American Made while it’s streaming on Peacock.