Directed by : Ben Affleck
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/
The whole country is watching you ... they just don't know it.
The movie begins with a small history about U.S, and Iran.. and the developments taking place in those countries. Its a quick 5 minute voiceover (pretty much like Piyush Mishra opening credits description in GOW1). And the 1st shot that comes after that, is a very large amount of people gathered outside the U.S Embassy in the Iran, to protest against a leader named 'Shah' being taken in the embassy, and not killed yet. There was hatred among the people for Shah, and they broke into the embassy leaving the people present inside the embassy in total panic. Just 6 americans inside the embassy managed to escape, rest all were taken hostage. The 6 americans were kept hidden by a canadian ambassador, which was known only by a US CIA spy agency.
CIA's exfil, Tony (Ben Affleck) expert puts forward a plan of acting like a film production person, he would make a fake canadian movie that requires a certain location in Iran to be visited, and the 6 americans would be the crew of the movie, who would flew back with Tony. The problem for Tony is, not only he has less time to promote a fake movie that looks real, his own CIA people aren't pleased with the movie idea, and may anytime change the plan.
The film is based on a true story, its a history based film.. yet its full of humurous moments thanks to the part where Tony goes to meet the Hollywood people, Lester (Alan Arkin) and John (John Goodman) to help him in the fake movie idea. Both Lester and John were amazing to the extent that in what was a very serious movie, their scenes would almost always bring a laugh or two. Lester's 'Argo fuck yourself' was hillarious. And the dialogues written were funny too, 'This is the best bad idea we have Sir, by far'.
All the 6 actors playing the american characters, portrayed the dread and scared look pretty well. Kathy (Kerry Bishe), acts like a professional movie crew member, by taking the photos of the Iran market location where Tony takes all of them, only to get into unexpected kind of trouble. Cora (Clea Duvall) polite query to Tony 'Can we rehearse once again' when Tony is feeling 'all lost', and Tony telling her 'You did quite well, Cora.. have some rest now'.
Joe (Scoot Mcnairy) has two scenes of his own, one where he expresses how he has made Kathy suffer in all this revolution, but the main one where he surprises not just Tony but the audience is at the airport.
Ben Affleck brings a calmness to the character of Tony, even when there appears to be some problems in his married life which ain't given any importance understandably as per demand of the subject. The dejection on the face of Ben when he feels all preparations went waste, the surprised look when he sees the confidence in Joe to help everyone, the happy look to see Cora trying and practising so hard, and the slightest of smile he gives during one of the key scene in the movie. The reason why its easy to connect to his character is, that he keeps it simple.. never tries to be over-smart, always shows the fear that is always there in him at every checkpoints of airport, or while he is in Iran.
The airport climax sequence is without a doubt nerve wrecking, you won't be able to move out of your seat, and you wont either be able to make a guess as to whether Tony would succeed or fail, as both have equal probabilities. Special mention to the fast editing done in that sequence, that builds the tension much more.
Also, I liked the fact that the rehearsals sequence are shown very less, as the fear of the 6 americans and how much vulnerable they would be, was required to be exploited.
Excellent direction, writing and screenplay (though its very much linear), there are some cliches done in the narrative but all that just adds to the drama of the movie. Special mention to the light background score at the final shot of the movie, love when films end that way.. it increases the liking.
Argo is among the best Hollywood movies that have come out this year, probably I loved it as much as I loved The Dark Knight Rises. I have a feeling, Argo is gonna get nominations in Oscar awards. Yup.
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/
The whole country is watching you ... they just don't know it.
The movie begins with a small history about U.S, and Iran.. and the developments taking place in those countries. Its a quick 5 minute voiceover (pretty much like Piyush Mishra opening credits description in GOW1). And the 1st shot that comes after that, is a very large amount of people gathered outside the U.S Embassy in the Iran, to protest against a leader named 'Shah' being taken in the embassy, and not killed yet. There was hatred among the people for Shah, and they broke into the embassy leaving the people present inside the embassy in total panic. Just 6 americans inside the embassy managed to escape, rest all were taken hostage. The 6 americans were kept hidden by a canadian ambassador, which was known only by a US CIA spy agency.
CIA's exfil, Tony (Ben Affleck) expert puts forward a plan of acting like a film production person, he would make a fake canadian movie that requires a certain location in Iran to be visited, and the 6 americans would be the crew of the movie, who would flew back with Tony. The problem for Tony is, not only he has less time to promote a fake movie that looks real, his own CIA people aren't pleased with the movie idea, and may anytime change the plan.
The film is based on a true story, its a history based film.. yet its full of humurous moments thanks to the part where Tony goes to meet the Hollywood people, Lester (Alan Arkin) and John (John Goodman) to help him in the fake movie idea. Both Lester and John were amazing to the extent that in what was a very serious movie, their scenes would almost always bring a laugh or two. Lester's 'Argo fuck yourself' was hillarious. And the dialogues written were funny too, 'This is the best bad idea we have Sir, by far'.
All the 6 actors playing the american characters, portrayed the dread and scared look pretty well. Kathy (Kerry Bishe), acts like a professional movie crew member, by taking the photos of the Iran market location where Tony takes all of them, only to get into unexpected kind of trouble. Cora (Clea Duvall) polite query to Tony 'Can we rehearse once again' when Tony is feeling 'all lost', and Tony telling her 'You did quite well, Cora.. have some rest now'.
Joe (Scoot Mcnairy) has two scenes of his own, one where he expresses how he has made Kathy suffer in all this revolution, but the main one where he surprises not just Tony but the audience is at the airport.
Ben Affleck brings a calmness to the character of Tony, even when there appears to be some problems in his married life which ain't given any importance understandably as per demand of the subject. The dejection on the face of Ben when he feels all preparations went waste, the surprised look when he sees the confidence in Joe to help everyone, the happy look to see Cora trying and practising so hard, and the slightest of smile he gives during one of the key scene in the movie. The reason why its easy to connect to his character is, that he keeps it simple.. never tries to be over-smart, always shows the fear that is always there in him at every checkpoints of airport, or while he is in Iran.
The airport climax sequence is without a doubt nerve wrecking, you won't be able to move out of your seat, and you wont either be able to make a guess as to whether Tony would succeed or fail, as both have equal probabilities. Special mention to the fast editing done in that sequence, that builds the tension much more.
Also, I liked the fact that the rehearsals sequence are shown very less, as the fear of the 6 americans and how much vulnerable they would be, was required to be exploited.
Excellent direction, writing and screenplay (though its very much linear), there are some cliches done in the narrative but all that just adds to the drama of the movie. Special mention to the light background score at the final shot of the movie, love when films end that way.. it increases the liking.
Argo is among the best Hollywood movies that have come out this year, probably I loved it as much as I loved The Dark Knight Rises. I have a feeling, Argo is gonna get nominations in Oscar awards. Yup.
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