The third film from Ben Affleck as a director (after GONE BABY GONE and THE TOWN) might be one of the only examples in 2012 of a perfect movie. The pacing, the writing and the acting of ARGO is all absolutely flawless. The way Affleck (working from a screenplay by Chris Terrio) blends both dramatic and comedic tones is like observing a mixologist make the perfect cocktail, and the result final product taste so good and goes down smooth. I said this about another film recently, but it applies just as much to ARGO: the story is so ridiculous that is had to be based on real events because no screenwriter could have pulled this out of their head. So here is this wonderful movie about how the clandestine services used Hollywood to save American lives during the Iranian hostage crisis.
For quite some time, this was a secret part of American history. When the American Embassy was stormed during the early days of the Iranian revolution in November 1979, 52 hostages were taken and held for well over a year. However, what wasn't known at the time or for years later is that six Americans escaped the embassy before it was stormed and made it to the residence of the Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber), where they waited in hiding until the American government could be contacted and an exit plan could be put together. The extraction plan was placed in the hands of CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck), a noted expert in disguise and, more importantly, in blending in. He knew from the beginning that the only way those Americans were getting out was right under the noses of the Iranians who had deposed the Shah and were in charge of security.
The plan involved setting a up a fake Canadian movie production of a science-fiction story called ARGO, which would require desert locations in need of scouting. The plan at least was to walk the Americans (posing as Canadians) right out through the airport after they had scouted various locations in and around Tehran. They even involved a real Hollywood producer (Alan Arkin) and make-up effects expert (John Goodman) to set up a production office in California, pick a script, and plant stories in the trades about the film and its casting. It was, as one person puts it, the best bad idea the government could come up with.
Affleck and his editor, William Goldenberg, do an astonishing job of keeping everything very clear as they guide us through several storylines, featuring well over 100 speaking parts. It helps in keeping characters straight that many key roles are played by familiar faces, including Bryan Cranston, Tate Donovan, Chris Messina, Richard Kind, Rory Cochrane, Kyle Chandler, Titus Welliver, Philip Baker Hall and Clea DuVall, to name just a few. You may not know all of those names, but their faces are familiar enough that you'll remember them even if you don't see them on screen for an hour.
But the other thing Affleck does is make us remember that Mendez is not some sort of superspy. He's a flawed human being who misses his wife and child immensely, and his absence on these long missions is taking its toll on his personal life. But as important as family is to him, country would seem to come first or at least a very close second. One of the best things about Mendez is watching him think on this feet. When one of the Americans seems too nervous about the plan, Mendez takes a whispered but authoritative tone with the guy, and eventually he comes around.
The plan doesn't go exactly as planned, those in charge in the States have an 11th-hour meltdown when someone considers what the consequences of pulling these people out could have on the hostages if it's ever discovered that the CIA had a hand in them escaping. A fair concern, but the issue is dealt with in a cowardly manner by the Carter administration. The nerve-wracking airport sequence that serves as the bulk of the final act is built from raw blocks of tension that Affleck keeps building and building until it appears the entire operation is a wash. Again, it comes back to storytelling. The filmmakers make these various plots' every turn make sense and converge them into a punishing mixture of planning, luck and bravery.
ARGO proves that Affleck is a true talent behind the camera, but his portrayal of Mendez shows that he's also still growing as a performer, giving one of the best performances of his career. His version of Mendez is layered and complicated, while remaining a true professional by relying on training and instinct. As a director, Affleck's impresses with the way he positions the truly terrifying elements of this story taking place in the ambassador's home (the six Americans are frequently referred to as "house guests") with the pure scathing comedy of the Hollywood sequences. Goodman and Arkin are a natural comedy team who discuss the town's cynical and predictable reaction to news that this silly movie is getting made. Naturally, not a single person doubts its legitimacy.
Affleck wants us to understand that spies frequently used the tools of entertainment as a means to get in and out of desperate situations. And as unlikely a series of circumstances as ARGO presents, what this movie shows us is pretty much what happened. It's fun sometimes to know what we as a nation can accomplish, but Affleck reminds us that it's also fun to know what we get away with. ARGO is clearly one of the great works of the year, and should be at the top of your list of films to see as soon as possible.
