Based upon The Master Of Disguise by Antonio Mendez
and The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman
Screenplay Written by Chris Terrio
Directed by Ben Affleck
***1/2 (three and a half stars)
The cinematic resurrection of Ben Affleck continues to greatly ascend!
Perhaps it is due to his relative closeness to my own age, but I have felt a certain kinship, or at least a relatable quality towards Ben Affleck. Nothing bizarre, mind you. But, I suppose it is somewhat akin to how I felt (and still feel) towards the youthful actors that were so prevalent during my own teen years, the ones who were also close in age and who were saddled with the horrible pejorative "The Brat Pack." In some ways, those actors (and even some current musicians that are also close in age to myself), sort of felt like the auxiliary members of my own high school graduating class and as they continue onwards within their own lives, I wish nothing for them but to continue to do well and live well. When the moments of public appreciation run high for those people, I somehow feel myself fill with a sense of pride, as if one of our own has made it upon the world's stage, representing my specific generation grandly.
For instance, I felt that sensation when Trent Reznor won his Oscar award for his film score to David Fincher's "The Social Network" (2010). I felt it when I first saw Robert Downey Jr. in Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" (2010), looking so dashingly handsome, healthy and almost reborn after his lengthy substance abuse troubles and public controversies. And I also felt that same sensation when I saw Affleck's superb directorial debut, "Gone Baby Gone" (2007), a film so intensely and undeniably riveting that it not only pinned me to my seat for its entire duration, the experience felt as if Affleck himself walked up to me and slapped me in the face for ever doubting his abilities. How foolish of me to not ever realize that after his public cinematic near disintegration, that Ben Affleck had been quietly plotting his second act.
With "Gone Baby Gone" and his second feature, the excellent Boston set crime thriller "The Town" (2010), Ben Affleck has revealed a previously unknown and ferocious talent behind the camera. If he at all felt or feels trepidacious with his directorial skills, any internal fears are all unnoticeable as Affleck has elicited a supreme confidence in presenting psychologically complex stories and characters merged with the types of action sequences we would usually see from the likes of cinematic veterans like Michael Mann. Now, Ben Affleck brings us "Argo," his third and most ambitious film yet, which does nothing less than solidify him as one of our strongest new American directors. With "Argo," Affleck has shown the ability to shoulder massively scaled action sequences, masterfully displayed levels of suspense, and expert period details set alongside impressive thoughtfulness, probing questions about our political process and an adherence to the human condition all the while allowing the film to have strong dollops of well placed humor. This is easily an exceptional film that you do not want to miss.
Set at the dawn of what would become the 444 day Iran hostage crisis, "Argo" opens with crackling tension as the tumultuous events surrounding the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979 are depicted. Iranian militants, in retaliation for the United States' support for the recently deposed Shah of Iran, storm the grounds and capture the majority of the American embassy staff members, holding them all as hostages. Unbeknownst to the militants, six embassy staff members escape and find refuge in the home of the Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor (played by Victor Garber) and his wife.
While the staff's escape is being kept secret, CIA specialist Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is brought in to aid the State Department's mission to extricate the six staff members and return them all to the United States. After discarding several "out of the box" escape plots, (one of which featured the idea of having Americans pose as travelling bicyclists) inspiration finally strikes Mendez after watching scenes from "Battle For The Planet Of The Apes" on television. Create a cover story that a film studio, looking to cash in on the post "Star Wars" gold mine of science fiction films, wants to scout locations in Iran for an upcoming space opera and then, smuggle the six embassy staff members out of the country by having them pose as members of the fictional film's crew.
As Mendez's colleagues grudgingly refer to this potential escapade as "the best bad idea" they have heard thus far, Mendez and his supervisor Jack O'Donnell (a solid Bryan Cranston) are then given the go-ahead to proceed. The men then reach out to veteran Hollywood makeup wizard John Chambers (John Goodman) and aging film producer Lester Siegel (a scene stealing Alan Arkin) for assistance to ensure the realism of their cover story, the fictional film now named "Argo." By the time Mendez's plot has been officially hatched, the Iranian militants have arrived closer to discovering not only that six Americans have escaped but also their full identities, making the rescue mission increasingly building into a potential suicide mission.
"Argo" is a superbly mounted, multifaceted experience which Ben Affleck beautifully handles like a champion. Affleck skillfully mounts a three act structure of conflict establishment, rescue plot set up and climactic payoff, which then transcends any formulaic tendencies and emerges as a crisply executed hybrid of a caper picture, Hollywood satire and political thriller all seamlessly rolled into one. While "Argo" stands firmly tall on its own cinematic feet, I was, however, very happily reminded of films like Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's 11" (2001), Barry Levinson's absolutely brilliant political/Hollywood satire "Wag The Dog" (1997), and Steven Spielberg's brutal political thriller "Munich" (2005). Yet, what Affleck achieves wonderfully is how "Argo" perfectly emulates the political thrillers of the 1970s in such exquisite style, cinematography and tone, all the way to the vintage studio logo which opens the film.
Now I would gather that for those of you reading this review, you may be wondering why after all of this praise, why did I not award Ben Affleck's "Argo" four stars, just as I have done for surprisingly many films this year. The answer is very simple and please note, my reasoning is not for any faults of the film itself and solely lies within my reaction to it. I just have to say that I think that the film's trailer may have prepared me for an experience which is decidedly different than the one the film actually is. i think I was expecting a film that was more propulsive. One that was more visceral. One that was more explosive. And, dear readers, despite the sheer intensity Affleck builds throughout "Argo," the film as a whole is not that experience at all as Affleck has not quite grown to the level of someone like Christopher Nolan, who has raised the bar for how storytelling, characters and action sequences can produce movie going experiences that are intense to the point of being sweat inducing while being seated in an air conditioned movie theater. While Affleck is not to that level (yet), in many ways, "Argo" is a lesson in suspense and very smart control of tension and release.
During this particular era in 21st century cinema, we have continuously been subjected to films where excitement is typically depicted through how loudly one can blast through the movie theater sound system and the amount of visual pyrotechnics a filmmaker can assault an audience with. By contrast, the power Affleck accomplishes with "Argo" is not attained through a pummeling hail of bullets and carnage but through nearly Hitchcock-ian levels of suspense brought out in the the most seemingly mundane moments, such as waiting for the right person to answer a telephone at the right time or through the act of waiting in line, just hoping that your true identity cannot be discovered when you are only inches away from freedom and survival. Scene after scene, as Iran falls into chaos and the urgency of the hostage situation and rescue mission threatens to spiral out of control, Ben Affleck shows a mastery of tone from one end of the film to the other, keeping everything rock steady.
This particular quality is even found within all of the film's performances, especially Ben Affleck's. As Tony Mendez, what we are able to witness from Affleck is a lesson in stoicism, where those still waters definitely run deeply. While it may seem as if Affleck is not doing very much acting outwardly, just read the situation his character is inside of and how his ow internal conflict mirrors those of his colleagues and mostly, the six embassy staff members who are just counting the moments until potential escape or execution. Affleck understands that as Mendez, he also needs to elicit the same levels of control that the movie itself has aspired towards. Because if his character shows any signs of doubt, weakness or the most miniscule elements of unrest, those very signs could completely unravel the entire rescue mission as well as end the lives of himself and the ones he is desperately trying to save. As much as Tony Mendez has to appear to be in control, the movie does as well so it does not fall apart into a cinematic mess. I loved the scene (as shows in the photo which accompanies this review) where Mendez is grilling the embassy staff members on their new filmmaking aliases. Mendez stands in the middle of the room, addressing his charges in the same authoritative manner one could imagine a director addressing his stable of actors. And of course, we are indeed witnessing Ben Affleck the film director addressing and working with his stable of actors. A very cool, clever, self-reflexive moment in a film that explores the magic of the movies while also trying to create some magic of its own.
Beyond the action and entertainment, I do believe that the politically minded Ben Affleck has a more subversive agenda at hand. As this film does indeed explore the time period which marked the end of President Jimmy Carter's presidency and the beginnings of a 12 year Republican reign, an era during which the political narrative has predominately argued that Carter was weak to the point of wimpish-ness. I would argue that perhaps Affleck is challenging audiences to re-thin that era, the legacy of President Jimmy carter and what it means to engage in the international community especially during a horrific crisis. It is of no secret or movie spoilers that by the end of the Iran hostage crisis, one year and two months after it began, all 444 hostages were released without any hostage causalities. I wonder if by revisiting this time through "Argo," we can have a glimpse back to an intense period where the President actually did not shoot first and ask questions later. Ben Affleck's "Argo" displays a time when sheer brain power and creative thinking were decidedly placed in front of bullets and bombs. Believe me, I do not believe that Affleck is trying to utilize "Argo" to make any naive points about the world and how it works, especially through seemingly impossible to navigate political crises. I do think, however, that what we know of our past compared with how our most intense international affairs have been handled for the past 12 years shows how much we have actually lost and what we could actually gain if we did try to think our way our of situations rather than confront them all guns and drone air strikes blazing. There will always be a time to fight but is that time every time?
I was 11 years old when the hostages were freed. I remember that moment very clearly as a television had been wheeled into my 6th grade Social Studies class taught by the cranky, unreachable, handlebar mustached Mr. Larry Nespar. I remember another teacher entering the room as we all witnessed each hostage being freed and Nespar announced to his colleague "Free at last! Free at last!!" Now, most certainly, I was not the least bit politically aware back then as my mind was filled with girls, The Beatles and "Star Wars." But, I was aware that some historic was happening as the hostage crisis was part of the background noise of my life for those 14 months. "Argo" brought me back to that day so quickly and completely while also giving me a movie experience that was an entertaining and as exciting as it was thought provoking.
Ben Affleck, how proud of you I am!! Any acclaim you will undoubtedly receive from this terrific motion picture is exceedingly well deserved. And for us in the audience, we are all exceedingly well rewarded when movies are as well made, thought and intentioned as "Argo."
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