"Argo" Review

Movie #2 of Saturday's double-feature was Ben Affleck's Argo, which is currently a front-runner for the "Best Picture" Oscar.

Argo is based on the true story of the Iranian Hostage Crisis of the late 1970s-early 1980s in which six American diplomats were trapped with the constant threat of falling victim to brutal Iranian revolutionaries.  Disguised as a Canadian film producer and location scout, CIA operative Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is tasked with rescuing the six Americans from under the nose of the vigilant Iranians.  

Sounds interesting, right?  Argo is a heart-pounding thriller that has fascinating characters and an enthralling story.  A perfect balance of nerve-shredding tension and witty humor keeps the movie fresh and fun for a brisk two hours.  Kudos to screenwriter Chris Terrio, as well as Alan Arkin and John Goodman who play the two hilarious Hollywood big wigs who help Mendez and the CIA orchestrate the operation by creating a fake science-fiction movie called Argo.  

Affleck is terrific as Mendez, a man who is willing to do the dirty work to become an unsung hero to his country as well as his wife and young son.  By reading the hardened expressions on Affleck's face, you can tell what emotions his character is feeling, and I love that.  Being able to know what a character is thinking just by observing facial expressions is one sign of a strong actor.  Bryan Cranston also makes a nice supporting turn as Mendez's CIA associate, Alan Arkin and John Goodman are hilariously entertaining as mentioned, and even the actors who portrayed the six diplomats effectively capture the restrained horror of people removed from their element and thrust into life-threatening circumstances.  I wish I could say I had a favorite scene of this movie, but I really couldn't point to anything specific.  The whole thing is great, and I'd love to see it again.  SPOILER: (There's a short history lesson during the end credits that's worth sticking around for.  Fascinating stuff.)

I'd recommend seeing Argo as soon as possible if it's still playing at any of your local theaters.  It's well worth checking out as we head into awards season.  At this point in time, it ranks just above Spielberg's Lincoln as my favorite of 2012 thus far.

4 OF 4 STARS