Very solid yet perfectible

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2013)

After a poor Gone Baby Gone and a much better The Town, Ben Affleck returns with his third movie, becoming more and more of a sure bet behind the camera.
Argo is incredibly dynamic from end to end, no slow passages weighing down a surgical script, combining drama and action, sometimes even sprinkled with a dose of humour. The plot unfolds ultra smoothly and the connections between the scenes are perfect. Still, a certain distance is always necessary when dealing with true facts, especially historico-political ones, and a research on the subject is needed to understand all the whys and wherefores of this episode.
As for the characters, none is really emphasized apart from Tony Mendez but each has his share, and all the actors are convincing except Affleck who is, as often happens, too apathetic and monotonous in his acting.
He seems also uninspired regarding the cinematography, favouring a rather classic and a bit too academic style, which is where he needs improvement in the future. The editing is also to blame with some badly cut shots.