JULY 2025:
The Business of War and the Fallout of American Greed…
In the ever-growing pantheon of films that dramatize the fine line between ambition and moral corruption, War Dogs (2016) delivers a compelling, darkly comic tale about two young men who gamed the U.S. military industrial complex. Directed by Todd Phillips — best known for The Hangover trilogy and, more recently, Joker — War Dogs walks the tonal tightrope between satire and true crime. It is a cautionary tale with a jet-black sense of humor and a sobering undercurrent: war, in many cases, is just another business — and a booming one at that.
Starring Jonah Hill as the volatile and charismatic Efraim Diveroli, Miles Teller as the more cautious David Packouz, Ana de Armas as David’s girlfriend Iz, and Bradley Cooper (also a producer) in a small but pivotal role as an enigmatic arms dealer named Henry Girard (based on Heinrich Thomet), War Dogs shines a spotlight on a bizarre but true story: the little-known tale of two 20-something Americans from Miami who won a $300 million Pentagon contract to supply weapons to the Afghan military. The catch? They had no experience and little more than a laptop and a knack for manipulation.
This film recommendation aims to dive deep into War Dogs as both a compelling cinematic narrative and a chilling commentary on the shadowy world of arms dealing and defense contracting. Beyond the surface of its buddy-comedy framework lies a potent indictment of the U.S. government’s wartime procurement processes, the free-market chaos of the arms trade, and the seductive power of unchecked capitalism.
A Story Too Absurd to Be Fiction (But It’s Mostly True)
At the heart of War Dogs is a real Pentagon scandal. In 2007, the U.S. Army awarded a massive contract to AEY Inc., a tiny Miami Beach-based company run by Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz. Their task? To supply the Afghan military with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of ammunition. On paper, they seemed like legitimate contractors. In reality, AEY was more of a glorified startup — two guys using eBay, Google, and spreadsheets to secure small arms deals before landing what should have been an impossible prize.
![David Mordechai Packouz (/pækhaʊs/ born February 17, 1982) is an American former arms dealer, musician and inventor. Packouz joined Efraim Diveroli on the 17th of September 2005, in Diveroli's arms company AEY Inc. By the end of 2006, the company had won 149 contracts worth around $10.5 million.[1] In early 2007, AEY secured a nearly $300 million U.S. government contract to supply the Afghan Army with 100 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, aviation rockets and other munitions.[2][3] The ammunition that AEY had secured in Albania to fulfill the contract had originally come from China, violating the terms of AEY's contract with the US Army, which bans Chinese ammunition. Packouz was aware that the products were prohibited and would not be accepted, and was instrumental in the covering up of the origins of the ammunition.[4][5] As a result of the publicity surrounding the contract and the age of the arms dealers – Packouz was 25 and Diveroli was 21 when AEY landed the ammunition deal – the United States Army began a review of its contracting procedures.[6] Packouz was sentenced to seven months of house arrest for conspiracy to defraud the United States.[4] He is the central subject of the 2016 Todd Phillips dramedy film War Dogs. Packouz himself has a cameo role in the film as a guitarist and singer at an elderly home. Packouz later co-founded War Dogs Academy, an online school that teaches how to start a government contracting business. [7] Packouz went on to invent a guitar pedal drum machine, the BeatBuddy, and is currently the CEO of music technology company Singular Sound](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/David-Packouz-2-1024x768.webp?ssl=1)
The film is “based on a true story,” but like many such films, liberties were taken. Diveroli later accused the filmmakers of falsely marketing the movie as factual and claimed they had lifted material from his memoir Once a Gun Runner. He eventually dropped his legal claims, but his criticism serves as a reminder: War Dogs is not a documentary. It’s a dramatization — but one rooted in shocking real-life events.
![Efraim Diveroli (born December 20, 1985)[3] is an American former arms dealer, convicted fraudster, and author.[4] Diveroli controlled AEY, Inc., a company that secured significant contracts as a major weapons contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. AEY was suspended by the U.S. government due to contractual violations. AEY had supplied Chinese ammunition to Afghanistan, attempting to conceal its origin by repackaging it as Albanian. Although this did not violate the American arms embargo against China, because the ammo was manufactured pre 1989, it was a violation of their contract with the government which said no Chinese ammo at all. Concealing its origin then became an act of fraud.[5][6][7] This incident prompted the United States Army to initiate a review of its contracting procedures.[6] Efraim Diveroli, at the age of 21, and his partner, David Packouz, at 25, gained notoriety for their involvement in the high-profile ammunition deal. Subsequently, Diveroli was sentenced to four years in federal prison.[8] Diveroli's story became the focal point of the 2016 Todd Phillips film, War Dogs,[9] in which Jonah Hill portrayed Diveroli, and Miles Teller portrayed Packouz. Additionally, a memoir co-authored by Diveroli and Matthew Cox was published in 2016.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Efraim-Diveroli.jpg?ssl=1)
The Wild West of Defense Contracts
Much of War Dogs’ appeal comes from its unflinching exploration of a niche but highly consequential system: the U.S. military’s open-bidding procurement platform, known as FedBizOpps (Federal Business Opportunities, now beta.SAM.gov). The platform, designed to promote transparency and competition, ironically allowed underqualified or unscrupulous players to enter the bidding process and walk away with major deals. That’s precisely how AEY Inc. rose to prominence.
Phillips and screenwriters Stephen Chin and Jason Smilovic make this system understandable to the average viewer. When Efraim introduces David to the idea of bidding on military contracts, he explains how the government has created a “gold rush for war.” The Pentagon, in an effort to support privatization and avoid monopolies, made its contracts public. All you needed was an LLC, some legalese, and a decent printer. In this environment, AEY Inc. thrived — at least for a time.
This is perhaps where War Dogs is most effective — not just in telling an entertaining story, but in exposing how a system intended to reduce corruption actually enabled it. The film demonstrates how lightly regulated the arms trade can be when profit takes precedence over oversight. It’s not just a story about two scammers. It’s an indictment of the system that let them in.
The Arms Trade as a Lure for the Young and Ruthless
Jonah Hill’s portrayal of Efraim Diveroli is one of the film’s standout elements and earned him a well-deserved Golden Globe nomination. Hill channels a unique blend of manic energy and quiet menace. His Diveroli is not just a hustler — he’s a Machiavellian savant in the world of weapons sales, utterly unburdened by morality. His laugh — a bizarre, nasal cackle — becomes a character in itself, a sonic representation of the absurdity and darkness of the enterprise he leads.
In contrast, Miles Teller’s David Packouz is the audience surrogate: the “good guy” who slowly compromises his morals. At first, he’s a massage therapist struggling to provide for his girlfriend and unborn child. When Diveroli enters his life with promises of fast cash and excitement, David succumbs to the temptation. His descent is gradual but chilling. We watch him rationalize each moral compromise until he’s in too deep.
Together, they form a familiar cinematic duo: the ambitious grifter and the reluctant partner. But the stakes in War Dogs are higher than your average con. These characters aren’t selling stolen goods or running Ponzi schemes — they’re fueling a war. That makes their story not just criminal but geopolitical. The consequences of their actions stretch far beyond their bank accounts.
The Afghanistan Contract: A $300 Million Turning Point
The centerpiece of War Dogs is the moment when AEY lands a $300 million contract with the Department of Defense to supply arms to the Afghan National Army. In real life, this contract was part of a broader U.S. effort to bolster Afghan forces amid ongoing instability and insurgency.
![The Afghan National Army Commandos (formerly ANA Commando Brigade;[5] ANA Commando Battalion and Afghan National Army Commando Corps[4]) was a commando (special operations capable) force of the Afghan National Army. During the Taliban insurgency, the commandos comprised 7% of the Afghan National Security Forces but conducted 70% to 80% of the fighting.[6] The structure of the unit was based on the U.S. Army's 75th Ranger Regiment.[7] Upon the fall of Kabul and the collapse of both the ANA and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Commando Corps was dissolved but subsequently restored by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. After the fall of Kabul the new regime claimed it reactivated the unit with a new flag and a new emblem, but it is unknown if any of the previous units personnel or training got transferred.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Afghan-National-Army.jpg?ssl=1)
This moment is portrayed with the reverence and awe of a heist movie climax. The duo can’t believe their success. Neither can the audience. But what follows is not victory — it’s unraveling. To fulfill the contract, AEY sources massive amounts of surplus ammunition from Albania. But when they discover that much of it is Chinese — specifically banned by the U.S. due to an arms embargo — they decide to repackage it in order to conceal its origins. This deliberate deception ultimately brings them down.
The film treats this as the final ethical boundary crossed, the point of no return. It’s a damning example of how even a government attempting to support democratic institutions abroad can end up encouraging illegal practices at home — simply by rewarding the cheapest bidder. That AEY’s fraudulent deal went unnoticed for months speaks volumes about how little oversight existed over such a consequential endeavor.
The Real Cost of War Profiteering
Though War Dogs is often funny — and undeniably stylish in its editing, pacing, and soundtrack — its humor is undercut by the real violence and human toll that lie beneath its surface. The weapons AEY supplied were meant to kill. The ammunition they repackaged could have malfunctioned. Their fraud didn’t just cheat the government; it endangered lives.
Yet the film rarely moralizes outright. Instead, it lets the viewer connect the dots. We see glimpses of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they’re largely background noise — just as they were to Efraim and David. In one scene, they drive through Iraq’s Triangle of Death to deliver a shipment personally. It’s a rare moment when the abstraction of war becomes real. Gunfire surrounds them. The danger is immediate. But once they escape, the trauma dissipates. For them, war remains a business transaction. The scene was also completely made up for dramatization purposes.
That’s the film’s most powerful message: modern warfare is often sanitized for those who profit from it. Contracts are negotiated in luxury hotels. Deals are sealed in cigar lounges. Meanwhile, the consequences are felt in bombed-out villages and among traumatized soldiers. War Dogs doesn’t show the full horror of war — but that’s the point. Its protagonists never really saw it either.
Bradley Cooper’s Shadowy Dealer: A Symbol of Global Cynicism
Bradley Cooper’s cameo as Henry Girard — based on real-life arms dealer Heinrich “Henri” Thomet — is brief but crucial. He represents the next level of the game, the deeply entrenched global arms brokers who make Diveroli and Packouz look like amateurs.
Henry is calm, soft-spoken, and deeply cynical. He’s not in it for the thrill. He’s in it because he’s built a life around it. When Diveroli and Packouz find themselves needing 100 million rounds of AK-47 ammo, it’s Henry who connects them to a crumbling Cold War-era stockpile in Albania. But it’s also Henry who distances himself when things go south.
In a film about American opportunism, Henry represents global complicity. The arms trade is not limited by national boundaries. It thrives in gray areas, in legal loopholes and post-conflict economies. His character serves as a reminder that War Dogs is not just about a Pentagon contract gone wrong — it’s about an international system in which corruption, violence, and capitalism feed one another.
Ana de Armas and the Ethical Toll at Home
Ana de Armas, playing David’s girlfriend Iz, brings emotional weight to a story otherwise dominated by masculine energy. Her role is small but significant. She serves as the film’s moral compass, repeatedly questioning David’s choices and forcing him to confront what he’s become.
Their relationship unravels as David sinks deeper into the arms trade. He lies to her, conceals the nature of his work, and brushes aside her concerns. Ultimately, she leaves him — not out of anger, but out of disillusionment. Her departure underscores the human cost of David’s ambition. He didn’t just lose a partner — he lost a version of himself that might have lived a quiet, honest life.
The Aftermath: Punishment, Profit, and Power
In the end, the real-life consequences for AEY Inc. were surprisingly mild. Efraim Diveroli served 4 years in federal prison. David Packouz received house arrest and probation. The Afghan military received defective and repackaged ammunition. And the Pentagon quietly closed ranks, shifting blame and adjusting procedures.
![Efraim Diveroli (born December 20, 1985)[3] is an American former arms dealer, convicted fraudster, and author.[4] Diveroli controlled AEY, Inc., a company that secured significant contracts as a major weapons contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. AEY was suspended by the U.S. government due to contractual violations. AEY had supplied Chinese ammunition to Afghanistan, attempting to conceal its origin by repackaging it as Albanian. Although this did not violate the American arms embargo against China, because the ammo was manufactured pre 1989, it was a violation of their contract with the government which said no Chinese ammo at all. Concealing its origin then became an act of fraud.[5][6][7] This incident prompted the United States Army to initiate a review of its contracting procedures.[6] Efraim Diveroli, at the age of 21, and his partner, David Packouz, at 25, gained notoriety for their involvement in the high-profile ammunition deal. Subsequently, Diveroli was sentenced to four years in federal prison.[8] Diveroli's story became the focal point of the 2016 Todd Phillips film, War Dogs,[9] in which Jonah Hill portrayed Diveroli, and Miles Teller portrayed Packouz. Additionally, a memoir co-authored by Diveroli and Matthew Cox was published in 2016.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Efrim.jpeg?ssl=1)
![David Mordechai Packouz (/pækhaʊs/ born February 17, 1982) is an American former arms dealer, musician and inventor. Packouz joined Efraim Diveroli on the 17th of September 2005, in Diveroli's arms company AEY Inc. By the end of 2006, the company had won 149 contracts worth around $10.5 million.[1] In early 2007, AEY secured a nearly $300 million U.S. government contract to supply the Afghan Army with 100 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, aviation rockets and other munitions.[2][3] The ammunition that AEY had secured in Albania to fulfill the contract had originally come from China, violating the terms of AEY's contract with the US Army, which bans Chinese ammunition. Packouz was aware that the products were prohibited and would not be accepted, and was instrumental in the covering up of the origins of the ammunition.[4][5] As a result of the publicity surrounding the contract and the age of the arms dealers – Packouz was 25 and Diveroli was 21 when AEY landed the ammunition deal – the United States Army began a review of its contracting procedures.[6] Packouz was sentenced to seven months of house arrest for conspiracy to defraud the United States.[4] He is the central subject of the 2016 Todd Phillips dramedy film War Dogs. Packouz himself has a cameo role in the film as a guitarist and singer at an elderly home. Packouz later co-founded War Dogs Academy, an online school that teaches how to start a government contracting business. [7] Packouz went on to invent a guitar pedal drum machine, the BeatBuddy, and is currently the CEO of music technology company Singular Sound](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/David.jpg?ssl=1)
The film ends with a haunting question: was it worth it? Did David and Efraim really lose, or did they play the game and simply get caught? In a capitalist system where profit is king, their actions were criminal — but not necessarily anomalous.
Final Verdict: A Must-Watch for Those Interested in the Ethics of War and Capitalism
War Dogs is far more than a buddy comedy or a satire. It is a sharp, stylish, and disturbing look into the business of war — a system that rewards the ambitious, punishes the honest, and places profit above principle.
If you’re interested in the global arms trade, the failures of military oversight, or the moral compromises of modern capitalism, this film is essential viewing. It doesn’t ask you to sympathize with Diveroli and Packouz. But it does ask you to question the system that made their scam possible.
In a world where private contractors deliver weapons to foreign armies and twenty-somethings can secure multi-million dollar Pentagon contracts from their laptops, War Dogs feels less like a cautionary tale and more like a snapshot of a broken reality.
Recommended for viewers who appreciate:
- True-crime-inspired dramas
- Political and military thrillers
- Satirical takes on capitalism
- Films like The Big Short, The Wolf of Wall Street, or Lord of War
![Directed by Andrew Niccol Written by Andrew Niccol Produced by Andreas Grosch Norm Golightly Andrew Niccol Chris Roberts Christopher Eberts Nicolas Cage Philippe Rousselet Starring Nicolas Cage Jared Leto Bridget Moynahan Ian Holm Ethan Hawke Cinematography Amir Mokri Edited by Zach Staenberg Music by Antonio Pinto Production companies Entertainment Manufacturing Company Saturn Films Ascendant Pictures VIP 3 Medienfonds Distributed by Lions Gate Films (United States) 20th Century Fox (Germany, via Metro Goldwyn Mayer)[1] Momentum Pictures (International; via Arclight Films)](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lord-of-War.jpg?ssl=1)
If you want to understand how two stoners from Miami Beach nearly changed the course of a war — and got rich doing it—then War Dogs is your next must-watch.
War Dogs is available now to rent on all streaming platforms…