It takes a certain kind of narcissism, or maybe just distrust, to cast yourself in a film you’ve directed. Whatever the reasons, Ben Affleck’s decision to take on the lead role in his political thriller, “Argo,” was a good one.
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, Victor Garbor
“Argo” begins with a short narration of the history of Iran leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which deposed Shah Reza Pahlavi and saw the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini.
This brief summary then zooms right into the American Embassy on the afternoon of Nov. 4, 1979 as thousands of angry Iranians protested outside the gates before storming the building and holding remaining Americans hostage for 444 days.
“Argo” follows the six embassy workers who escaped and hid in the Canadian ambassadors house as the CIA rushed to find a way to extract them before they would be found.
Ben Affleck plays CIA specialist Tony Mendez, an expert in extraction missions, who is given the task of safely taking the six Americans out of the hostile country.
Mendez uses an elaborate Hollywood cover in coordination with the Canadian government to produce fake Canadian identities for the six Americans and sneaks them out.
The plan is entirely dodgy and if Mendez fails, the lives of seven man, and the reputation of an entire nation, would have gone up in flames.
The story is based on declassified CIA information, which came to light in 1997, and was written about in a dynamic 2007 Wired article.
Affleck’s talents as a director are becoming stronger with each passing film, since Gone Baby Gone. Affleck spends the first half of “Argo” setting up the last half. The stage is set for an hour before the play begins and the pacing gets tighter with each scene.
The final half-hour of “Argo” switches between Hollywood, D.C. and Tehran. The transitions are presented almost in real-time in order to create more tension. While it’s an over-exaggeration of the actual events you can’t blame Affleck for wanting to hold his audience captive in suspense.
John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Victor Garbor and Alan Arkin round out the main characters with each playing a pivotal role in securing the safe passage of the six Americans.
The supporting characters provide some comic relief, but mostly add emotional layers to the precarious situation. They’re the strongest supporting cast in film this year and come Oscar time it won’t be a surprise to see them recognized for their achievement.
“Argo” is a movie made for awards season, but what is most dynamic is the timing of its release. As we watch the American embassy stormed on screen, we witness the protest and destruction of American embassies in the Middle East on live television.
With the media and our politicians becoming more demanding of a potential confrontation with Iran, “Argo” acts as a reflection of our history and should give us pause as it recognizes the consequences of U.S. involvement in the Middle East.