Argo

[TheUsualSuspect]

Argo (Ben Affleck)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/argo.jpg

Affleck Brings Back 70's Cinema.

As the Iranian revolution nears a climax, a CIA specialist comes up with a risky plan to rescue six Americans who are hiding at the home of the Canadian Ambassador. The plan? A fake movie.

With two good films under his belt Ben Affleck has already solidified himself as a competent director. With Argo he ventures into the must see category. Argo is easily one of the best films of the year and reminds us of the films we use to love back in the 70's. Not only does the film look like it takes place in the 70's, but it feels like it too. Blowing the picture up to give it the grainy feel, greatly adds to the overall experience.

Multiple times I got the feeling that Affleck was trying to pull off an All The Presidents Men vibe, especially in the CIA offices and it works. While I'm sure Affleck took some liberties with the events, it never feels like any of this couldn't have happened. Affleck is a CIA operative and not once does he fire a gun, fight the bad guys or be 007. This film is 100% talking, yet is one of the most suspenseful films of the year. Where does the suspense come from? If their cover is blown, they are all dead. Can these people fake being a film crew? Does everyone make it out alive? Even if you know how the real story turns out, Affleck manages to keep the tension throughout the entire third act intact.

I do wish that Affleck would have given Canadians more credit though. They did most of the work, took most of the risk and in the film it feels as if they were babysitters while Mendez comes up with this Hollywood Option and does everything to get them out. So it does feel like Hollywood trying to take credit for something they were let in on, but that's a small gripe in a fantastic film.

Boasting an impressive cast: Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochrane, Kyle Chandler and Ben Affleck staple Titus Welliver, everyone brings their A-game, no matter how small the role. Of course Affleck has to have his obligatory shirt off shot.

Argo is everything a movie should be, a great story, compelling drama and light hearted humour. Like I said earlier, it brings back the days of 70's cinema, complete with thick glasses, dorky haircuts and goofy moustaches. The film's credits put up the actors with their real person counterparts. Plus images from the film are literally taken from pictures taken during the events. It's a scary situation to be in and Affleck puts that front and centre.

Go see Argo

4

[donniedarko]

I already posted my review in Movie Tab II but I can put it here too

"Argo (Affleck)- having a real hostage from this time period in the theater was really something cool. And I must say this is the best film I've seen this year. It went from tense, to comedic, and back to tense. Filled with dialouge that evoked laughs from all generations. This film also used news reels to tell the story of what was going on in the U.S. while the mission was going down. You felt the anger and frustration of a nation. The casting was superb, as you'll see by the end of the move. The crew cared about making this historically accurate. This was the best film going experience I've had in a long time. I recommend this to almost anyone who has the slightest interest in movies. Lovely score, star studded cast, and Affleck continues to impress as a director 4"

Seriously, wacth this

[TheUsualSuspect]

Argo is a gripping, nail-biting thriller whose last act will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

They should put your quote on the back of the dvd cover already!!!

[JayDee]

Good to see some positive noises about this film. I've been looking forward to Argo since reading about the true story in a great Empire article a few years ago. At the end of the piece it mentioned that the rights had been bought by a production company and I've been keeping tabs on it ever since.

[Bull]

I am so sick and tired of Americans re-writing history. George Washington lost most of his battles and Benedict Arnold tried to invade Quebec but was thrown out on his ass- only to bounce back and become America’s most famous traitor. American historians and storytellers (one and the same) have been shitting on Canadians ever since we invaded their country and torched their “white” house.
In spite of what Ben Affleck says, the CIA did not save the day during the Iranian hostage crisis. It was the Canadian Ambassador and his staff that risked their lives to save Americans after another brilliant bit of American foreign policy blew up in their face.

[Miss Vicky]

^It's a movie, not a history lesson.

[Bull]

Maybe it's time America stopped using their movies to further their political agenda.

[bluedeed]

^It's a movie, not a history lesson.

Maybe it's time America stopped using their movies to further their political agenda.

Both are true. If you go to movies for information, you're going for the wrong reasons. That being said, it could also be argued that a lot of movies are shameless self-promotion of America, and the movie industry here seems to highly regard that kind of work (again, look at the Oscar best picture nominees). Popular and critically successful movies here play a lot more like Manhattan than Taxi Driver nowadays.

[Bull]

bluedeed, what you say is true, it's just disapointing when dedicated film makers around the world are trying to make honest films and shed light on political truths.

[cinemaafficionado]

I really enoyed this movie. Thought that the story was superb and the movie well made. It took some cohones for the CIA operative to go into that hot spot like that and bluff his way through. He also showed great initiative and compassion not to stand down and to complete his mission .

[jojonl]

Another nice movie in the line of rambo ;-)

[Yoda]

Yeah...no, it's nothing like Rambo.

[Guaporense]

Argo is very good. 3_5

[twisted_state]

Is this the same Ben Affleck?
http://movieboozer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/daredevil.jpg
I'm confused

[gandalf26]

Another nice movie in the line of rambo ;-)

LOL. This comment had me real life lol'ing for like 2 mins.

wtf are you talking about dude.

[Filmigos]

Daredevil is one of my guilty pleasures. Everytime I see it on TV, I have to watch it. I dunno why.

[Schimo]

'In 1950, the people of Iran elected Mohammad Mosaddegh, a secular democrat, as a prime minister. He nationalized British and U.S. petroleum holdings, returning Iran's oil to it's people. But in 1953 the U.S. and Great Britain engineered a coup d'état that deposed Mosaddegh and installed Reza Pahlavi as shah. The young shah was know for opulence and excess. His wife was rumored to bathe in milk while the shah had his lunches flown in by Concorde from Paris. The people starved.
The shah kept power through his ruthless internal police: The SAVAK. An era of torture and fear began. He then began a campaign to westernize Iran enraging a mostly traditional Shiite population. In 1979, the people of Iran overthrew the shah. The exiled cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini, returned to rule Iran. It descended into score-settling, death squads and chaos. Dying of cancer, the shah was given asylum in the U.S.. The Iranian people took to the streets outside the U.S. embassy demanding that the shah be returned, tried and hanged.'

This is where story of Argo begins. U.S. Embassy in Iran on 4th November, 1979. Iranian protesters are breaking into embassy while American diplomats are burning all classified documents. In all that chaos six Americans managed to escape. They hid into Canadian ambassador's house and the story about their escape remained secret. Since they couldn't stay there forever a plan for their extraction was created by CIA exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), Hollywood producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and a makeup man named John Chambers (John Goodman) under the supervision of CIA chief Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston). The plan was to fake a movie production with escaped Americans as Canadian crew who went in Iran to look for filming locations.

Argo is based on true events but large number of facts are distorted. For example, it is stated that British embassy turned away the six while in fact they sheltered them for a few days. Also Canadian role in operation is minimized what actually provoked a reaction from Canada and that's the reason for commentary at the end of the film about joint operation. There's also a bunch of minor distortions that were made just to pace up the story.
Opening scene, in which we see fall of embassy, is astonishing and sadly, it's Argo's peak alongside Bazzar scene. The rest of the movie is just an average drama with forced suspense in the form of multiple deus ex machina and last minute scenes that just give unnatural and cheap taste. Last 30 minutes of film are almost completely unnecessary, full of unrealistic action scenes and pathetic reactions on mission's result. Characters are also weakly developed but since the movie isn't based on them that's not a problem.
That's pretty much it of negative sides of Argo. The most positive is visual impression. Ben Affleck who both directed and embodied Tony Mendez did a solid job on both sides. Although the movie was shot mainly in U.S. and some little in Istanbul the feeling of authenticity is constant. Semi-documentary approach is great for subjects like this and wider context of happenings in Iran in 1979 are nicely narrated at the beginning of the film which was great surprise for me since a lot of critics and big part of audience proclaimed Argo an pro-American and anti-Iranian propaganda which it's definitely not. It's shown how Iranians only wanted to trial the shah Pahlavi who terrorized their country for decades and their anger towards Americans isn't strange since Americans installed Pahlavi as shah and now they were protecting him.

Only objection on Afflecks directing that I have goes to camera job. Why so many close-ups!? From two hours of film almost one hour are shaky close-ups and after some time it starts to be unbearable. Actors did what is expected from the A-list names, while Affleck proved once again that he's better behind camera than in front of it.
All in all Argo is a solid political thriller with strong elements of drama but it's far from being the movie of the year. There's absolutely nothing special about it and although it's fun to watch it's easy to forget it.

7/10

[Trustedreviewer]

Enjoyed your review but I thought you were extremely harsh. I have watched his 3 films, Gone baby Gone, The Town and now Argo and I thought all of them were excellent but definitely Argo is his finest work so far. It really is hard to believe this all actually happened, so come on Schimo 7/10 surely at least an 8!

[Trustedreviewer]

Argo is an excellent film, really enjoyed it. There is real moments of tension an this now a hat trick of excellent films directed by Affleck. I reviewed on the Trusted Reviewer website, check it out and i'd love to hear your comments.

[Schimo]

Enjoyed your review but I thought you were extremely harsh. I have watched his 3 films, Gone baby Gone, The Town and now Argo and I thought all of them were excellent but definitely Argo is his finest work so far. It really is hard to believe this all actually happened, so come on Schimo 7/10 surely at least an 8!

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Affleck, I even like him as an actor. I just don't like a big part of Argo's screenplay (but story is great) and I think that camera job was poor and if you combine that with my last sentence:
There's absolutely nothing special about it and although it's fun to watch it's easy to forget it.
You get an strong 7 :D

[rauldc14]

I enjoyed Argo and I thought it was a decent film, but I much prefer The Town and to a much greater extent Gone Baby Gone.

[The Prestige]

Yeah, I think at one point I had some harsh words for Affleck. I think a lot of it was influenced by his J-Lo and acting in mediocre to weak films, but as a director, I have respect for the bloke. His first two film were really good, although I can't help but think of The Town as Heat-lite

Count me in as one of the people who like Argo. I didn't know what to expect outside of the true story the film is based on, but was pleasantly surprised with the classy production and cast. It's always a treat to see The Faculty's Clea DuVall get some work. I really like her energy.

The third act is, as many have said, a masterclass in sustained tension. Even when they get on the plane, my heart was pounding. And I actually saw it on pristine 35mm! Look lovely and organic on film. Affleck's got it going on.

[Daniel M]

Yeah, I think at one point I had some harsh words for Affleck. I think a lot of it was influenced by his J-Lo and acting in mediocre to weak films, but as a director, I have respect for the bloke. His first two film were really good, although I can't help but think of The Town as Heat-lite

I watched The Town before Heat and when I was watching it my step-dad said he couldn't enjoy it that much as he felt it was just a copy of Heat which is his favourite film I think. I've seen Heat since and I can definitely see where you guys are coming from, I liked The Town, but Heat is a great film and far superior.

[yellowjacket1]

10/10

How to judge a film like this? Every film features arbitrary factors on what makes it enjoyable or not. Films based on real life situations carry certain baggage but none of that baggage weighed this gem down at all. I honestly can’t think of a way to make the movie better. Thus, it merits a 10/10 in my book. It’s so very well acted and constructed. I was captivated all the way through and Affleck made it suspenseful to the max. Politically, there are some modern parallels to what’s happening today but that texture isn’t even relevant to enjoying the effort as a pure thriller.

[TheDavePhan]

i give this movie a 6-7. It was ok but it definitely could have done more

[ccs880]

Overrated.

[Will Frey]

Having won best picture, you’d better believe this one was worth watching. A crazy extraction plan led by CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck) that would effectively save the lives of 6 U.S. citizens after having been chased out of the Iranian Embassy, Argo (2012) is a movie based on the realest of stories. The old-school feel of the movie makes it feel like it was meant for the nineties. As you’re taken back by the Spielberg-esque precision, you get hit with new-age shaky cam action when things start to get intense. One such example is the dinner scene where the hostages are staying with Canadian Ambassador, enjoying some food & wine, when all of a sudden they are forced to hide in the closet where they’ve been sleeping for the past couple of weeks. It was times like these where they couldn’t even step outside, reminding the viewer of the reality of this time in history.
Tony Mendez has one sole goal for this operation - getting these people out of the country alive. After days of arguing and deliberating in C.I.A. headquarters he finally comes up with what seems to be their best “bad” idea yet (Thanks Brian Cranston) – making a fake “Star Wars” style-movie and using it as a cover to get into Iran and to get those people out. Sounds like movie, and yet it happened it real life. They had everything they needed – storyboards, screenwriters, and exotic locations – everything one would need to make a fake movie look as real as possible.
Affleck played his part as he would be expected to – at sea level. Facial expressions were on the lower end of the scale for him, and at times it seemed like he was just strolling through worn-torn Iran with an oblivious smirk that made it seem like he was destined to succeed. He was good. Not great, but good. The real stars of the show for me were the supporting cast. Alan Arkin and John Goodman were solid gold on camera, and even better when they were together. I’d love to see them make another movie someday, perhaps with starring roles.
The real show-stealer for me was Joe Stafford, one of the six captives stuck in Iran. Played by relatively new actor Scoot McNairy, he set himself apart from all the other captives in that he had absolutely no faith in Mendez throughout the entire ordeal. He though he was going to die in Iran. One scene that shines amongst the rest is when they are being questioned at the final gate before the bridge to the plane. They seem to be losing the debate between the guards that they are in fact legitimate movie-makers, and in the middle of all the yelling, Stafford comes in speaking perfect Arabic, and ends up tricking the guards into believing their carefully thought-out rouse. By the time the guards had realized their mistakes, it was already too late – they had made it on the plane, and it was airborne. They made it home, and Tony Mendez was a national hero.
A solid film from front to back, you’ll finish Argo wondering what happened to movies like these. Why don’t people make movies like these anymore? It’s because they are missing the essence which makes a movie whole and right – a gift that Director Ben Affleck seems to have just right.:D


W.

[ashdoc]

Ashdoc's review--

To be safe in your country , to be home among your own people , to be relaxing and eating and drinking amongst people who love you and respect you and cherish you---I realised the value of that today.....

As I walked out of the cinema hall today and I looked around me I said---the people around me are MY people and I am safe.....

.....And then my thoughts turned to the poor benighted hostages from the American embassy eking out a horrid existence for months among gun toting guards of the Revolutionary republic of Iran.....

The year is 1979 and the ancient land of Persia is in the throes of another revolution in its bloodsoaked history.....

Except that the name of the country is now Iran because the Iranians are Aryan in origin ( Iran means Aryan in Farsi language ).....but the Shah who named it as Iran is gone.....gone because he was corrupt and a bloodsucker and a murderer and was having too much fun while the population starved.....

......But above all the Shah is gone because he worshipped that creation of the unbelieving west called secularism and equal rights for women.....

And replacing him is the barbarian horde of Ayatollah Khomeni that calls itself the Islamic revolution......

And what is the Islamic revolution ???---All gun welding guards everywhere , people being hung from cranes in the capital Tehran , the population invoked into a mass frenzy against suspected traitors to the point that anybody can get shot , bloodthirsty dogs howling for more blood.....

And because the Shah has taken refuge in America the howling dogs called revolutionaries have attacked the American embassy and taken the entire staff hostage....

But but....six of the staff escape out and flee to the Canadian embassy---this is the story of their attempted escape from the hell called Islamic republic of Iran.....

And the Canadians who take them in take tremendous risk in keeping them as the Americans and their protectors can be found out and shot dead---literally....

The six Americans got to be taken out of Iran pronto !!

To take them out is sent CIA agent Tony Mendez ( played by Ben Affleck ).....

The plan to take them out is for him to pose as a Canadian film producer producing a film called Argo and take them out as Canadians who are his film crew.....

But there is host of complications like---

1 ) getting a permission to film a film in Iran itself

2) making the six Americans pose convincingly as a real film crew when they know nothing of film making

3 ) staying clear of the watchful eyes of people who suspect them for who they really are

4) clearing airport security manned by the fanatic revolutionary guards who look at everyone with suspicion

5 ) and not getting tired of the posters of Ayatollah Khomeni's scowling face staring at you all the time in the face :D

And due to all this there's tension in the air.....tension in the land.....tension on the sea......tension in the CIA ops room......and finally there is tension in the cinema hall as everyone watches what's going to happen next with bated breath and pin drop silence.....

Bingo !! The tension is a sure shot sign that the viewers are hooked on to the film and the director ( its Ben Affleck himself !! ) has hit bullseye !!

As if the relive the tension the film shows certain characters cracking some truely wise jokes which keep the film rolling .

So does Ben Affleck succeed in taking them out ?? Go and watch the movie for that.....enjoy the tension !!

Verdict---its a winner all the way.....

[ccapehart1980]

little late but i just recently watched the movie argo i guess it totally slipped by me when it came out anyways great movie except i found it quite inaccurate our CIA didnt actually do as much as they did the canadian intellegance service wich i believe is now called CSIS was mostly respoinsible for the operations success also the embassy did not fall that quick every embassy has a detachment of marines wich are heavily armed for repelling any kind of attack

[The Marb]

My full review is on link (didnt wanna bore you with my full one) but in summary I like Argo despite its flaws.

Affleck did a good job of balancing the comedy with the thriller elements and despite the seemingly tacked on made upelemnts, its a effective thriller. Best film of 2012, no way (Zero Dark Thirty is better IMO) but a quality one, hell yes.

http://themarb.blog.co.uk/2012/11/11/movies-argo-15192756/

[cat_sidhe]

Bit of a thread bump here, but I happened to read its old imdb board page this morning. Entire essays, all very angry that Ben Affleck entertained a couple million people.

The nerve.

:lol:

[Dani8]

Bit of a thread bump here, but I happened to read its old imdb board page this morning. Entire essays, all very angry that Ben Affleck entertained a couple million people.

The nerve.

:lol:

LOL. Why am I not surprised.

Good review TUS. I really enjoyed this movie. Time for a rewatch. Argo beep yourself still makes me laugh.

[cat_sidhe]

Bit of a thread bump here, but I happened to read its old imdb board page this morning. Entire essays, all very angry that Ben Affleck entertained a couple million people.

The nerve.

:lol:

LOL. Why am I not surprised.

Good review TUS. I really enjoyed this movie. Time for a rewatch. Argo beep yourself still makes me laugh.

Guuurl, tell me when. We can watch together and LIVESHOUT IT. :shifty:

[Dani8]

Guuurl, tell me when. We can watch together and LIVESHOUT IT. :shifty:

OK. Want to watch Kidnapped (spanish film mentioned yesterday) and Boondock Saints first. Will tee up a time with you. :up:

[cat_sidhe]

Guuurl, tell me when. We can watch together and LIVESHOUT IT. :shifty:

OK. Want to watch Kidnapped (spanish film mentioned yesterday) and Boondock Saints first. Will tee up a time with you. :up:

Can watch Boondock with you too! Got 2 DVD versions...guess you could call me a fan. :lol: