Great acting, even has a few laughs

Rating: 8/10 (15 September 2013)

It's the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Revolutionaries take over the American embassy and over 60 personnel are taken hostage. Six are able to escape to the residence of the Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber). CIA expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) devises a crazy plan to create a phony Canadian film project looking to shoot in Iran and smuggle the Americans out as its production crew.
For a well known history and predestine ending, this is quite compelling, tense, and suspenseful. Affleck did take some liberties with the real story. About midway onwards, there are a few too many liberties taken to Hollywood it up. They even gin up a car chase. I understand drama has to be pump up. It's really a minor defect. The movie is filled with great acting, tense moments, and even has a few laughs. Of the Oscar nominees, I'd probably pick 'Django Unchained' and this solidly in second.