War Dogs (2016)

Last updated:
June 12, 2025

War Dogs is a 2016 dark comedy-crime drama directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover, Joker), based on a true story. With a blend of fast-talking humor, war profiteering, and morally grey characters, the film delves into the shady underbelly of international arms dealing through the eyes of two unlikely 20-something entrepreneurs.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Introduction: The American Dream, Reloaded

The movie is narrated by David Packouz (Miles Teller), a massage therapist in Miami struggling to make ends meet. His life takes a turn when he reunites with his childhood friend Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), who’s operating a small arms-dealing company. Efraim introduces David to the world of government military contracts, especially those posted on the Pentagon’s public “FedBizOpps” website.

David initially resists but is eventually lured by the promise of big money. They form a company called AEY Inc. and start bidding on—and winning—small Pentagon contracts.

Climbing the Ladder: From Handguns to Global Arms Deals

The duo gains momentum, winning multiple contracts and earning thousands. David, now fully committed, helps the company land a $300 million deal to supply the Afghan military with weapons—a contract far beyond their logistical or moral capabilities.

They source arms from Eastern Europe, operating through shady contacts and navigating a world filled with corruption, black-market dealers, and unreliable allies. One such character is Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper), a notorious arms dealer blacklisted by the U.S. government, who offers them Chinese ammo stockpiled in Albania.

The Albanian Ammo Scheme

AEY’s plan: buy the Chinese ammo cheaply, repackage it to hide its origin (since the U.S. has an arms embargo on China), and ship it to Afghanistan. This requires a lot of illegal repackaging, and a lot of lying.

In Albania, Efraim betrays their local contact to save money and lies to David about payment deals, leading to tension. David discovers that Efraim has been manipulating him financially and emotionally, hiding business decisions and skimming off the top.

Movie Ending

After realizing Efraim has betrayed him and that the entire operation is crumbling under its own corruption, David tries to walk away. However, Efraim fires him and refuses to pay him his share of the Albanian contract.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government gets wind of the illegal Chinese ammo through an audit and shuts down AEY Inc. Both men are arrested. David cooperates with the investigation and avoids prison; Efraim, cockier and less cooperative, ends up serving four years.

The movie ends with David sitting in a luxury hotel room, where he meets Henry Girard again. Henry, in a cryptic and eerie tone, offers David a suitcase full of money—his “cut” from the Albanian deal—and asks, “What do you think?”

The screen cuts to black before we see David’s answer, leaving the audience with a moral cliffhanger: will he take the money and possibly get sucked back into the game?

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, War Dogs does not have any post-credits scenes. Once the movie ends, it’s done. No Marvel-style stingers or cryptic teasers—just that haunting final question from Henry.

Type of Movie

War Dogs is a dark comedy, crime drama, and biographical film. It blends real-world political commentary with satirical humor and elements of a buddy movie.

Cast

Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli
Miles Teller as David Packouz
Ana de Armas as Iz, David’s girlfriend
Bradley Cooper as Henry Girard
Kevin Pollak as Ralph Slutzky
JB Blanc as Bashkim, the Albanian warehouse manager

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Cliff Martinez, but what truly defines War Dogs is its licensed soundtrack. Songs like “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “Everybody Knows” by Leonard Cohen punctuate major moments, providing a cynical contrast to the protagonists’ reckless ambition.

Filming Locations

The film was shot in several locations:

Miami, Florida – Represents the main characters’ hometown and the flash Miami lifestyle they chase.
Romania and Morocco – Used as stand-ins for Iraq and Albania, due to logistical and political challenges.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Briefly featured during a business pitch scene.

These settings ground the film in both the real-world glitz of American capitalism and the grim realities of war and arms dealing.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for a Golden Globe: Jonah Hill for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The film did not receive major awards but was noted for Jonah Hill’s eccentric and memorable performance.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Jonah Hill gained over 40 pounds for the role of Efraim to reflect the real person’s appearance.
Hill’s unique laugh in the film was unscripted and became a signature trait.
The real David Packouz has a cameo as a lounge singer in a nursing home.
Director Todd Phillips originally pitched the tone of the movie as “The Wolf of Wall Street meets Lord of War.”

Inspirations and References

The film is based on a Rolling Stone article titled “Arms and the Dudes” by Guy Lawson, which was later expanded into a book. The events depicted in the film are largely true, though some dramatic liberties were taken for storytelling.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There’s no publicly confirmed alternate ending, but early drafts of the script leaned more heavily into the post-prison life of Efraim. Deleted scenes reportedly included:

More background on Henry Girard.
A flashback sequence to David’s time in massage school.
Additional scenes between David and Iz exploring the tension in their relationship.

Book Adaptations and Differences

War Dogs is not a direct adaptation of a novel but is inspired by Guy Lawson’s nonfiction book “Arms and the Dudes.”

Key differences:

In reality, Efraim was far more volatile and dangerous than portrayed.
The film tones down some of the actual criminality to make the characters more relatable.
David’s character in real life was less naïve and more complicit than the film suggests.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The duo driving through the “Triangle of Death” in Iraq while smoking weed with a Beretta on the dashboard.
The discovery of crates of Chinese ammo in an abandoned Albanian warehouse.
David confronting Efraim after learning he was cheated out of his money.

Iconic Quotes

Efraim: “War is an economy. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either in on it or stupid.”
David (voiceover): “They called guys like us ‘War Dogs’—bottom feeders who make money off of war without ever stepping foot on the battlefield.”
Efraim: “I’m not a bad man. But in certain situations, I have to ask myself—what would a bad man do?”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The real David Packouz’s cameo as a nursing home singer is easy to miss.
The term “FedBizOpps” used in the movie is real and still active for government contracts.
Efraim’s wardrobe is intentionally garish to reflect his real-life narcissism and insecurity.

Trivia

The film is produced by Bradley Cooper, who also plays Henry Girard.
Jonah Hill’s laugh in the movie was so weird that it confused test audiences—so they kept it.
AEY’s story made national headlines after a New York Times expose.
David Packouz now sells electronic drumming devices—yes, really.

Why Watch?

War Dogs is a wild ride through the morally ambiguous world of war profiteering. It’s funny, intense, and disturbingly real. The performances—especially Jonah Hill’s unhinged take on Efraim—are both hilarious and horrifying. It’s a sharp critique of how easy it is to game the system when ethics take a back seat to profit.

Director’s Other Movies (Todd Phillips)

Joker (2019)
The Hangover (2009)
Old School (2003)
Due Date (2010)
Starsky & Hutch (2004)

War Dogs (2016)

Detailed Summary

Introduction: The American Dream, Reloaded