Disappointing and needless to say, insulting

Rating: 4/10 (17 June 2013)

First, I will say what I did like about this film.
While I'm not a huge fan of it, I loved how the decision was made to give a throwback to the 70's filming style, the time period in which the plot takes place. I think it had a really good nostalgic feel to it that probably drew in a lot of people who were not only familiar with the style but actually remember watching the events of the hostage crisis as they unfolded on television. The use of real footage was a great way to make this film feel more real and bring the reality of the situation forward for those of us who didn't know the full story before as well. In that respect, I say well done.
However, there was too much else that was not good about this film.
Firstly, I don't appreciate how Ben Affleck skewed the story for his own personal benefit. I'm perfectly comfortable when films that are historical representations take a few liberties to make it more exciting and what not, but this was too much for me. I encourage you to read the real story of the event to get the fullness of my point, but to summarize a few points, Tony Mendez was not working alone, the whole movie idea was not his, and there is not even close to enough credit given to the Canadian embassy and congress for their involvement in the entire affair. So basically, Ben Affleck turned it into a story about him and his brilliance. I don't appreciate that as a viewer and find it narcissistic at best.
But it doesn't stop there.
Secondly, to be somewhat blunt here, I felt that as a viewer I was insulted by the idea that my brain could not wrap itself around a more complex plot. The storyline was so predictable that I got bored because I knew what was coming next. I know the real situation was far more complicated than what was shown but apparently Ben Affleck & co. didn't think the public could handle it. So instead the story is dumbed down to the point that it felt like someone was holding my hand throughout the whole thing so I wouldn't get lost. There may be some out there who disagree with me and I welcome the other side of this argument, but when I watch a film that is supposed to be Oscar worthy and have recently declassified information in it, I expect it to be a little more intimate and complicated. I don't expect to watch a film clearly targeted for adults and instead feel treated like a child.
Overall, I think the only reason this film won Best Picture for 2013 was because it told a fascinating story that was brand new information and it flattered Hollywood. It was ridiculously predictable, narcissistic, and extremely disappointing in the way of entertainment because of that. I thought Ben Affleck might have had a chance to do something great and I was excited to see what he accomplished. But I only came away from it feeling insulted as a film lover and having lost what little respect I had for the star in the beginning.
If you still haven't seen it and would like to, I don't discourage you completely from seeing it. However, I do encourage that you don't get caught up in the hype and really look at for what it is.