Sunday 28 October 2012

Argo film review

My husband and I went to see this film tonight using our Showcase Insider cards.  Argo is a film based on the true story of the Iran hostage crisis in 1980, when six fugitive American democratic personnel need to be extracted during the revolution.

Ben Affleck (who also directs and co-produces with George Clooney) stars as CIA exfiltration agent Tony Mendez, who devises a plan to get the six out of the house of the Canadian ambassador (where they have been hiding since escaping from the embassy when it was taken) by concocting a fake film that is to be shot in Iran.  Helped by Hollywood players John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), they set up the backdrop of a film scout trip to Iran for their sci-fi movie Argo.  Fake Canadian passports are produced for the six, played with great expertise by Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea Duvall, Scoot Mcnairy, Christopher Denham and Kerry Bishe, who have to learn their new identites as film crew scouts in two days.

The film is very convincing and you find yourself holding your breath and rooting for the six right until the end.  I especially like that the film has been given a truthful slant, rather than trying to over-dramatise what is already a wonderful human interest story.  It is a very tense drama with touches of humour provided by the 'Hollywood' element and I would highly recommend you see it.

Tagline: 'The movie was fake.  The mission was real.'                               8.5/10

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