A bit of history that most of us don't know about makes a great feat of movie-making

Rating: 10/10 (14 October 2012)

In 1979, the Iranian people overthrew their government and stormed the U.S. embassy, taking hostages. For 444 days, these people were held in captivity. During this time, the news headlines filled our TV sets with on-location coverage as well as speculations on how this terrifying event could resolve itself. As our eyes were drawn to the fate of these 52 men and women, 6 Americans had managed to escape from the embassy and found shelter in the Canadian Ambassador's house. It was only a matter of time in which they could be caught, killed, or even remotely rescued.
Ben Affleck's new film focuses on both the persons and the covert operation that the CIA undertook to rescue these 6 people. Affleck plays Tony Mendez, a CIA "extractor," who concocts the plan to pose as a Hollywood producer of a science-fiction film called "Argo." The idea is to land in Terhan and then convince the 6 Americans to assume the identities of a Canadian film crew for the movie, and thus fly out of the country. He is assisted by his CIA boss (Bryan Cranston), and relies on award-winning make up designer John Chambers (John Goodman), and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) to green light both the script and the publicity of the film—as a means to make it credible.
In part what makes "Argo" a great film is its nostalgic feeling of the 1970s, such as the clothing, the glasses, the vehicles, and even the graininess in the film. The inter-cuts of real footage and photographs of the 1979 Iranian rebellion is a real bonus in selling the story's authenticity. "Argo" also does well in regards to holding the audience's attention. The story is well thought out and there is room for humor, drama, and suspense. While I found myself laughing a lot of the film, I was also put on the edge of my seat in the last 30 minutes. The use of hand-held cinematography and crisp editing adds to the intensity of the film. But what really makes "Argo" a great film is the cast. Each actor adds diligence and personality to their characters. This is particularly noteworthy with Alan Arkin and John Goodman—both practically steal the show with their clever delivery of lines and levels of sentimentality towards their shared goal of saving the 6 Americans. Affleck seems a little indifferent in his performance, but as seen in the movie, that is part of the character he plays.
As shown with "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town," Ben Affleck knows how to direct good movies that engage us with good characters and story. "Argo" is another film to add to this list. In this year's coming Oscars, I hope "Argo" gets nominated for Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, and supporting actor for both Goodman and Arkin.