Originally posted to the DMI Review on 2/3/13
Only in the movies. And real life.
Ben Affleck’s political thriller Argo is one interesting film. On the one hand, it’s an excellent edge-of-your-seat entertainment with a first rate cast, great period detail, and a fantastic story that is so unbelievable it could only be true, and it could only happen in Hollywood. On the other hand, it lacks some resonance, at least for this reviewer, and while that is certainly nothing to hold against a film (I for one love many movies that aim to be nothing more than a rollicking good time), it is something that comes to mind as the film is being heralded by many guilds and associations as the year’s best. The actual importance of such awards pales in comparison to the honor of having made a wonderful film, yet to understand what makes Argo so beloved by the many artists in the film industry (ignoring Oscar semantics for the sake of our collective sanity) perhaps sheds light on why it has been hailed as the best in a truly great year for cinema.
The true story behind Argo is the first real hook for an audience. As the 1979-1981 Iranian Hostage Crisis began, six Americans slipped out of their embassy, and took refuge at the Canadian ambassador’s house. Following some comically under-thought suggestions as to how the American government might extract the six, CIA exfiltration man Tony Mendez (Affleck) proposes setting up a front as a Canadian film crew in Tehran to scout locations for an exotic science fiction film, ultimately hoping to sneak the six out on one flight under these new identities. Mendez, in need of a quick lesson in film production, uses a Hollywood contact who has helped him before, Academy Award winning makeup artist John Chambers, portrayed with a sublime level of industry savvy by the always dependable John Goodman. Chambers recruits the help of a veteran producer, played with expected wit and energy by Alan Arkin. The six American embassy workers are played with convincing heart and fear by actors who will hopefully reappear in major films in the future. The familiar faces of Bryan Cranston and Victor Garber round out the cast as Mendez’ supervisor in Langley and the Canadian ambassador, respectively. Both are great in their roles, although Cranston has far more to do as Mendez’ stateside contact than Garber does as the host of the six Americans.
Even with a great premise and top notch cast, the film’s secret weapon is its humor, and more importantly the balance Affleck achieves between the tense and heart-racing moments in Tehran and the comedic moments back in Hollywood. Goodman and Arkin provide much of the film’s comic relief, including the latter’s coining of the phrase, “argofuckyourself.” The pomposity of the film industry and the life or death game at play in the Middle East are two elements that shouldn’t work together, but Affleck and screenwriter Chris Terrio, who deserves just as much credit as his director, perfectly entwine the thrills with the laughs. If anything, this equilibrium is what the film should be lauded for, because it never gets too serious or too light to stifle the film’s momentum and energy.
So what makes Argo a big hit with the industry and critics for the year 2012? The film itself tries to paint a larger picture at its conclusion, emphasizing the cooperation between the United States and Canada, but what most critics and Oscar gurus seem to appreciate is the inherent yet subdued theme of the power of the movies. Films about film always capture the industry’s attention and heart (2011’s The Artist and Hugo stand as recent examples), and Argo is no different. It’s a thrilling film that will no doubt have you on the edge of your seat, and although it will hold your attention, it may not linger once it’s over. But that’s irrelevant when a good story is told exceptionally well, and that’s what Ben Affleck has done with Argo. 9/10