Review: 'Argo' directed by Ben Affleck

A little known fact about Ben Affleck is that he majored in Middle Eastern affairs while attending college, so the turbulent region has long been in the back of his mind. But was it always his plan to make a movie about it? Much less centered on one of the weirdest periods in U.S. foreign affairs history? Doubtful, but Argo does prove Affleck has a keen understanding of the political snake pit the U.S. found itself in during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. He also understands how to craft it into a thrilling, relevant, and darkly amusing crowd-pleaser.

Following on the success of last year's The Town and the superior Gone Baby Gone, Affleck has left Boston behind and gone global, maintaining that passionate devotion to crafting entertaining genre films that are both smart and compelling. The Oscar buzz has been swirling around Argo for months, and although the film has its share of problems, Argo cements Affleck as one of the finest filmmakers in the business. 

From the very beginning with the retro Warner Bros. insignia, Argo envelops itself in a veneer of retro cool reminiscient of old espionage thrillers from the big and small screen. It's actually the second film this year to use the old-style logo, after this summer's Magic Mike. Considering the success of both maybe the studio should make it a permanent change? Kicking off with an animated rundown of the complicated events leading up to the  Iranian Revolution, Affleck lets us know right away that the United States aren't totally heroes in this scenario, and bear a great deal of responsibility for the events that are about to unfold. Without getting too deep into the weeds of it, the CIA helped lead a coup that overthrew the democratically leader of Iran, installing the infamous Reza Shah Pahlavi. When the people finally stood up and deposed him, they turned their aggression towards the U.S. for supporting him. Oops. This is what backing the wrong horse will get you.

With Pahlevi given safe harbor into the U.S., supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans for over 400 days, but amidst the chaos six were able to escape and hole up in the Canadian Embassy. . Affleck captures the suspense and immediacy of the event, as the six scramble while thousands of Islamist protesters beat down the walls and shatter the windows for entry. It's a nail-biter of a scene, made all the more stark by the organized insanity of what's to follow.

Affleck steps into the picture as CIA exfiltration expert Tony Mendez, donning a scruffy beard and the reserved demeanor of a government insider. With the Iran situation making headlines around the world, Tony is hired by his boss(Bryan Cranston) to come up with a scheme to get them home before discovery. Affleck has a little fun jabbing at the messiness of warring intelligence agencies who can't get their crap together even for an issue of such national importance. With time running out, and inspired by an airing of Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Tony comes up with the wacky hail mary plan to cook up a fake Hollywood movie production, which he'll use as a cover to sneak them out as his film crew. As Cranston says at one point, it was "the best bad idea" they had.

A less expert hand would have bungled what comes next, as the film briefly veers into buddy comedy territory as Tony begins piecing together the details of his plot. The Iranians are too smart to fall for anything less than perfection, and so he turns to an ex-military vet turned Hollywood producer(Alan Arkin) and a boisterous special effects wiz(John Goodman) to help set the wheels into motion. That means buying a script for a lousy sci-fi film titled Argo(which Arkin's character hilariously turns into an expletive), and convincing the trade magazines to hype it like a real production. Affleck's love of movies shines during these moments, as he skewers Hollywood's deeply rooted dishonesty, while also paying homage to cherished sci-fi films of the time. Refusing to let us get too hung up on just how ridiculous and funny their shenanigans are, Affleck frequently reminds us of the life and death stakes.

Momentum hits a wall once Tony actually arrives in Tehran, as there just isn't enough plot to sustain the film. There's a good story there, involving Tony's attempts to turn these scared, inexperienced office workers into convincing Hollywood filmmakers. Chris Terio's script doesn't dwell on that interesting aspect for long, preferring to show us more of the Iranians' attempts to find the missing Americans. We never really get to see Iran's side of the issue, so it's hard to see them as anything other than villains.

An incredible ensemble is led by Affleck, who has been a mediocre actor most of his career but has been excellent in the movies he's directed. He adds a touch of humanity to a role that could have been fairly blank. His Tony is a guy who has seen far too much, may be an alcoholic in one of the film's most understated subplots, and doesn't see his kid nearly enough. Goodman, Arkin, and other veteran players like Kyle Chandler and Chris Messina do solid work, but the Affleck made his wisest move in casting the six embassy workers. Barely recognizable in the roles are Scoot McNairy, Clea Duvall, Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, and Kerry Bishe, who each get their moment to shine. Most of these involve quiet, tender moments between lovers as some of the employees are married and dealing with other personal issues. McNairy, a fast-rising star who made his breakthrough in Monsters and the upcoming Killing Them Softly, is especially strong as a husband who isn't willing to put his wife at risk.

Technically, Argo is an impeccably shot piece of work that gets all little touches exactly right. The clothes, the mood, and the flavor of the era are perfectly done. It's more than just the easily identifiable rock song or a recognizable show on the vintage television.

Iran is as much a part of the news today as it was then, and with some continue to crow about potential war, a film like this is a dangerous prospect. But Affleck recognizes that, and presents Argo as a shining example of how two countries can come together to achieve a common goal. The likelihood we ever see that kind of cooperation break out in the Middle East is probably slim, but Argo is a fantastic story that demanded to be told, and Affleck proved to be the guy to make sure it was told well.