'Argo' - simplicity at it's finest

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2013)

Occasionally, simplicity is the best route to go down, and Affleck does it to perfection with this gripping picture.
The best thing about this movie, and how Affleck has created it, is that it had the potential to be quite a dull, slow film. It's not, which is testament to how it's produced and directed. It's best described as a suspense thriller, with a bit of action and humour thrown in.
Is it the best film you'll ever watch? Highly unlikely. No doubt there's better out there, other films that are far superior to Argo have been completely bypassed for awards. But, what makes it great, is it's simplicity. There's no complex plot, no deep, in depth twists and turns. It's just a funny, edge-of-your seat and completely compelling spectacle, which is almost flawless. Affleck goes back to basics, and focuses on producing a film not driven by violence, but by excitement.
It really is a great watch. The two hours fly by, and you get completely hooked into the plot. I wouldn't take much notice of the 'based on actual events' link. This isn't a historically accurate story-telling film. It's not meant to be. You will find that it's quite wide of the mark in that respect. It uses the factual events as a template to build, what ends up being, quite a fictional plot and story. Affleck does that for the better.
The acting is bang on the money. Arkin and Goodman are brilliant in their laid-back roles, and bring the comedy value to the table. Affleck is excellent and the entire hostage team do a good job at what they're asked to do. Like the feature, the characters are basic and simple, but it's what gives you the ability to just watch and get sucked into a world of paranoia and suspense.
As long as you don't go into this movie based on the awards it's won, you'll enjoy it. It's not the best film you'll ever see or have seen. The awards aren't given because it's complex or brilliantly acted or full of uniqueness. They're given because the film is exciting and enjoyable. It's basic, simple and predictable, but it's flawless simplicity. It peels back the outer layers and presents you with what's important and interesting.
And, sometimes, simplicity is best.