Directed by: Ben Affleck
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Release Date: October 12, 2012
Rated: R
Synopsis: A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran. (Via IMDB)
Brian: In many ways, Argo, the best film yet directed by Ben Affleck, reminded me of Apollo 13. Both films are based on major historical crises, both films were directed by actor-turned-directors, both films are rich in colorful costume and production design, and both are exceedingly tense for almost the entire running time, even though we already know the outcome, that everyone is going to be OK. I was ten when I saw Apollo 13 in the theater, and I loved every second of it. I felt the same way about Argo. It’s superbly written, acted, and directed, with great attention to detail in seemingly every aspect of the production. It’s funny and engaging, but also super tense in the last hour. Affleck may still best be known for writing and acting in Good Will Hunting, but he has really come into his own as a director.
Shaunta: I saw Argo with my daughter, and I’m happy to report that it was a much more comfortable experience than seeing The Master with her! Argo was tense and exciting, and even though I knew the outcome going in, I was on the edge of my seat through most of this show. I loved both the Hollywood and the Tehran sets. Even though Tehran was really Istanbul, it was gorgeous and I really appreciated that both sets made me feel like I was being taken somewhere. The cast was amazing. I thought Ben Affleck did an especially good job playing a kind of understated hero. As someone who grew up in a super liberal household during the Carter administration, and who once spent an entire afternoon traipsing around Las Vegas with her father trying to find the Barnes and Nobel where Jimmy Carter was signing his book, I was tickled by the Carter voice over at the end of the film.
Brian: I thought Affleck did an especially good job casting the movie, not just in picking the best actors, but in picking actors who actually look like the real people. The Hollywood scenes were great, and Alan Arkin and John Goodman brought the perfect amount of comedy and humanity to their respective roles. Bryan Cranston, the star of Breaking Bad, but forever the supporting guy in the movies, gets his best film role in years here. Affleck himself doesn’t look much like the real guy he plays, but he’s appropriately calm in his performance, letting the people he’s saving do the worrying. Early word is that Argo is a contender for Picture and Director, potentially to even win! I wouldn’t go that far. It’s a strong film, though, and one that will be discussed for many years to come.
Shaunta: I could see Argo winning best picture and/or best director. It did exactly what it was meant to do: keep the audience on the edge of its seat while it told an incredible story. The main idea of the story was a real winner for me, and even more so because it really happened. Using a cheesy sci-fi movie as a cover for a hostage rescue? Life really is stranger than fiction. I was eight years old during the real hostage crisis, and I remember everyone on my street tying a yellow ribbon around their trees. I was too young to fully appreciate what was happening, and I really enjoyed seeing the story from both sides. It would have been easy to tell the story of Argo from a purely American-centric point of view, and that wasn’t what happened. This movie was a big win for me.