Argo
Ben Afflecks first real film as a rookie director has seen his
stock in Hollywood rise massively! After directing the Town (Which was
horrific) he has made a smart, classy stylish movie and despite casting himself
as the main character he hardly sets it up to make himself look good. Argo is a
fantastic film, with some real nail biting moments that keep you from sitting
still with tension!
The story of Argo is about an unorthodox CIA agent named
Tony Mendez, who helps Americans vacate hostile foreign countries using all
sorts of elaborate schemes. The film itself is based on Mendez own testimony,
however, as with all spy films based on true events, it comes with a pinch of
salt. The story itself is so unbelievable and compelling. It is an intriguing
piece of declassified secret history about a CIA sponsored bogus film.
In 1979 six American officials managed to escaped the US embassy
in Tehran (Iran) just before it was overrun by an Iranian mob! The Iranian's
were angry as their former Shah and dictator who ran the country with an iron
fist, had been given residence in the US. The six officials who managed to
escape, take safety in the Canadian ambassadors home, where they are constantly
on edge and can't leave the house. The CIA are set the task of getting them
out!
Mendez manages to persuade his colleges to embark on a crazy
scheme in which the CIA bankroll a fake Sci-fi movie called Argo. The idea
behind this, being to take six Canadian passports and then pass the US
officials off as a film crew scouting out possible movie locations for the film
Argo. Mendez makes it look impossibly real, by getting a Hollywood producer (Alan
Arkin) in on the act as well as a makeup technician (John Goodman.) He also
makes them stage a fake script reading in an LA hotel. What Mendez essentially
does is what a real producer would do in Hollywood despite the fact that that
the movie is never going to be made. But that's what happens to most script's
in Hollywood, they get kept in a dusty box.
The fact that the movie is well paced and uncomplicated
makes it more enjoyable and realistic. Because the film is non-fiction, it just
makes you think of the reality and you almost put yourself in their shoes, it
makes the film more tense.
Argo won an array of awards at the BAFTAS and the Oscars,
including the big one of best film. Ben Affleck and Alan Arkin were also
nominated for their acting roles. The film is really very good and definitely
deserved to be nominated, however, personally I would have gone for Django
Unchained for best film!
My Rating: 8/10
Directors: Ben Affleck
