Average Thriller

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2013)

Argo
**1/2 (out of 4)
120 mins/ 15
Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donavon
Director: Ben Affleck
Plot: CIA agent, Tony Mendez, begins production on a fake movie, so that he can enter Iran and rescue six American fugitives who are wanted by Iranian terrorists.
JJ's Verdict: For some reason, I was expecting Argo to be incredible and one of the best films I've ever seen. It is a good thriller but I was disappointed, considering the Oscar win and hugely positive reception surrounding it. If it were my choice, I probably wouldn't have even nominated Argo.
Argo starts off well with a prologue into Iran's history and then depiction of the attacks on the U.S Embassy. These opening scenes are very intense and gritty, and this tone continues throughout. The film's design is also very good and definitely knows it is in the 80's with slick suits and cool moustaches. The script is also witty and full of some great industry in-jokes and a very funny cameo from Jack Nicholson. However, my real disappointment with Argo is the characters. There are far too many characters in the film, played by not very well-known actors so become hard to follow throughout. Another stumbling block is that many of these characters look too similar to each other, which makes them even harder to follow. This isn't so say the acting is bad, just decent.
Ben Affleck, who I usually like in films, is incredibly one-dimensional in this film and the only time he ever steps out of this, is when the script forces him to, not by his own accord. His character, Tony Mendez, is so dull and throughout the film, Affleck puts on this highly unlikeable miserable stare for no apparent reason. The only bright sparks in Argo's acting, are John Goodman and Alan Arkin who play members of the film industry. They definitely have some of the films funnier lines but you can't really eel they are putting much effort in as all they are doing is playing themselves with little emotion. And once Mendez departs for Iran, you don't even see their characters until the final few minutes.
Although his acting isn't up to scratch, Affleck directs this one really well. Maybe he was just too busy worrying about the film to notice his wooden acting. Affleck keeps the tension going extremely high and rarely lets the film stop for a breath. I does come in for a great Americana triumphant finish but you can't help thinking; because the writer mixed fact with fiction, was there any way they weren't going to escape from Iran?