"Argo" (2012)

When a Movie is the Difference Between Life and Death

"Argo" (2012) Review

Ben Affleck has made it undeniably clear that he is not only a world class actor yet also an equally impressive director who, after two films about crime in Boston, has directed a true gem.

Readdressing the plot for this film is irrelevant as half of the magic of the film is watching the plot slowly unfold yet, needless to say, the film focuses on the rescue of six United States embassy workers in Tehran. The film itself focuses specifically on the work of Tony Mendez, the mastermind behind the fake film he would use to help smuggle the embassy workers out of Iran with the background of the Iranian Hostage Crisis threatening the viability of the mission. The film is tense until the end, constantly harkening back to dramas less dependent on explosions or guns.

The story is nothing short of inspiring, and despite a few changes in the details of the story to improve the cinematic atmosphere of tension and excitement the film creates. Yet the film also prides itself on the accuracy, even when depicting the characters, showing side by side photographs of the actors as well as the actual embassy workers to show how similar the two images are.

Yet this film would be little if not for the acting; another feat Affleck manages to accomplish. With performances from Mr. Affleck of course, as well as Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" fame, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, and Victor Garber, a longtime character actor who plays the Canadian ambassador. These characters work to create a pillar on which the story may turn, constantly providing emotional depth as well as humour in their performances.

Affleck also embraces the early eighties in his filmmaking, having worn down the colour on the film, used logos and styles akin to those of the late seventies, and even going so far as to mimic shots from films of the era. In addition to this, the film goes out of its way to depict the era accurately, sometimes only using corners of props which would be accurate for the era to help improve the realism of the film.

This film, as I said earlier, is a gem and should be recognized as such. With good story telling, masterful acting, and attention to detail, this picture will enthral everyone and ask them to reconsider the past, think about the Iranian Hostage crisis, and remember that good films are not determined by the number of special effects shots they have, yet rather by the quality of their stories and acting.

Stars: 9/10