Review 205: Argo
Based on the book The Master of Disguise by Tony Mendez and the 2007 Wired article The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation of the Canadian Caper to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies. Note: a lot of the events in the film are not accurate.
The plot is a gripping peice of film making. Even though it's a film drenched in espionage and bureaucracy, at its core, it's about the human experience and what lengths others will go to save lives.
The dillema that the C.I.A faced was putting together a plan to get these six diplomats out. You honestly wouldn't imagine that someone would use the idea of a movie shoot as a cover because it was so outrageous. The fact that this is actually based on a true story is what makes it such a enthralling peice of cinema.
As a result of their entrapment, Mendez and the U.S. government really planned to get them out of there alive in one peice at any cost and bring them home and thats a truly noble thing to do for people like them.
Ben Affleck's direction is unobtrusive, notably the opening scene where were Militants storm the Embassy of the United States, Tehran was disturbing, unsettling and completely convincing.
The score by Alexandre Desplat is beautiful and brilliantly evokes the Middle Eastern influences, the cinematography is stylish and captures the retro feel of the late 1970's early 1980's, the production design (recreating the 1970's/1980's) is fantastic, the costume design of that period is majestic, the make up is rich and beautifully detailed, the props are wonderfully crafted. There's also a surprising amount of humour particularly during a scene were Mendez, producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and John Chambers (John Godman) are planing the fake film and Siegel says "If I'm gonna do a fake movie, it's gonna be a fake hit" and I have to say it was, it's well paced, and when we get to the part were Affleck and the diplomats try to escape the film says it no laughing matter."
The acting is sensational, as well as looking practically unrecognisable, Ben Affleck in unusually subdued perfromance excells playing Tony Mendez. Mendez is a guy who works doing exfiltration and getting people out of places safely. In the midst of people struggling desperately to come up with a good escape plan, he came up with this crazy plan.
John Goodman is fantastic playing John Chambers. Chambers was a make up artist who was the first man to win an Academy Award for Make Up. He began working as a contractor for the C.I.A in the late 70's creating "disguise kits" for C.I.A personal stationed in other countries. Mendez hired Chambers to help him with his "Canadian Caper"
Alan Arkin is superb as Lester Siegel. He's a film producer whom Chambers and Mendez approach about the fake film and at first he's understandably a little skeptical about the project working at all. Then gradually gets excited about it.
Bryan Cranston is very powerful playing Jack O'Donnell, Mendez' supervisor
Victor Garber is wonderful playing Ken Taylor. He was the Canadian ambassador in Iran at the time and was involved trade issues and developing oil interests and making his way and doing well for himself before getting this huge canundrum thrust upon him.
Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Christopher Denham, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishé and Rory Cochrane round out the films well rounded and oiled ensamble deliving mesmerising as the six U.S. diplomats. Those U.S. diplomats narrowly escaped the riot with their lives and they had to stay hidden which was really hard for them. Their existance had to remain a secret because they were protecting Canada's diplomatic status.
The acting is sensational, as well as looking practically unrecognisable, Ben Affleck in unusually subdued perfromance excells playing Tony Mendez. Mendez is a guy who works doing exfiltration and getting people out of places safely. In the midst of people struggling desperately to come up with a good escape plan, he came up with this crazy plan.
John Goodman is fantastic playing John Chambers. Chambers was a make up artist who was the first man to win an Academy Award for Make Up. He began working as a contractor for the C.I.A in the late 70's creating "disguise kits" for C.I.A personal stationed in other countries. Mendez hired Chambers to help him with his "Canadian Caper"
Alan Arkin is superb as Lester Siegel. He's a film producer whom Chambers and Mendez approach about the fake film and at first he's understandably a little skeptical about the project working at all. Then gradually gets excited about it.
Bryan Cranston is very powerful playing Jack O'Donnell, Mendez' supervisor
Victor Garber is wonderful playing Ken Taylor. He was the Canadian ambassador in Iran at the time and was involved trade issues and developing oil interests and making his way and doing well for himself before getting this huge canundrum thrust upon him.
Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Christopher Denham, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishé and Rory Cochrane round out the films well rounded and oiled ensamble deliving mesmerising as the six U.S. diplomats. Those U.S. diplomats narrowly escaped the riot with their lives and they had to stay hidden which was really hard for them. Their existance had to remain a secret because they were protecting Canada's diplomatic status.
Even though they wanted to escape, the six American diplomats were truly
scared to trust Mendez and go along with his plan due to its absudity but eventually they
had to because there were no alternatives.
Argo, F-Yourself, 5/5
The Anonymous Critic.
Argo, F-Yourself, 5/5
The Anonymous Critic.
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