While Ben Affleck has had a hit-or-miss career as an actor, he has in the past five years made a successful turn-around as a director.
While some might have scoffed at the idea of Affleck becoming a director at first, “Gone Baby Gone,” was an excellent film with great drama and tension, and whatever doubts were left of Ben Affleck becoming a director were washed away by the equally-excellent crime-thriller “The Town.”
Now marking his third film as a director, Affleck is now trying something different with “Argo,” a film based on the Canadian Caper mission that took place during the Iranian Revolution.
When Islamic militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and took fifty-two Americans as hostages, six Americans managed to escape secretly and hide out in the Canadian ambassador’s house.
When the CIA sends in Tony Mendez to come up with a plan to secretly smuggle the six Americans out of Iran, he eventually comes up with an idea that seems like something out of a Hollywood movie: he and the six Americans will pose as a Canadian film-crew scouting for locations for a fake science-fiction movie titled “Argo.” Under their fake identities, they will then fly out of Tehran without being spotted.
It’s an amazing story that is superbly re-created by Affleck, who manages to perfectly capture the sense of conflict during the Iranian Revolution on both sides.
The conflict is never black-and-white, and the process of getting the six Americans out of Iran is covered in every step to where even the simplest mistake could mean life-and-death.
The slow pacing allows Affleck the ability to hold the suspense through every turn. Additionally the performances are superb and the characters are memorable and likeable.
Even the humor in the movie has a surprising witty edge to it to help relieve the tense moments, particularly from scene-stealers turned in by John Goodman and Alan Arkin.
While the movie does exaggerate some parts of the story here-and-there, (imagine that!) this is a superbly crafted thriller that fires on all cylinders and never lets up until the end credits.
Who knew the story about a man who invented a fake movie to rescue six Americans would lead to Ben Affleck making one of the best movies of 2012. It’s just like something out of Hollywood!
Rating: 10/10 (Superb)
