Trot's Day Off: Argo Review

In the past five years, Ben Affleck has gone from an acting afterthought to a bona fide directorial stud. His talent has grown with each film he has directed, and each film he's made has brought him more acclaim and respect. That trend continues with 2012's Argo, his best film so far.

Argo is a perfect blend of good writing, good directing, and superb acting. Chris Terrio's adapted screenplay blends humor into the serious nature of the story of an undercover rescue of six Americans, while Affleck plays the two-talent card, starring in his own film.

Argo forced Affleck out of his comfort zone—the Boston-area—where his first two films, Gone Baby Gone and The Town were set. Affleck thrived in roles set in his hometown (starting with Good Will Hunting), making it his go-to setting for his directorial efforts. Now, having matured as a director, Affleck has proven himself with a setting about as far away from Boston as one can get: Iran.

The direction of the film was well done: there were no unnecessary scenes, characters, or motives involved. A simple, to-the-bone approach to the story made every scene feel like real life, as if this film was the behind-the-scenes look into CIA operative Tony Mendez's caper into Ayatollah-controlled Iran, edited into a feature film, released 33 years after the event.

Terrio's writing created fluid conversations, making characters who seemed more like real people—with emotions and morals—than the haughty bureaucrats people expect government officials to be. The refrained salutation of “Argo fuck yourself” is perhaps the (movie) quote of the year. The precise, never-say-more-than-needed approach led to clean dialogue, with no fluff.

Much like fellow Best Picture nominee Django Unchained, Argo's acting presents an interesting dynamic; while the lead actor was very good, the supporting characters were better, overshadowing the lead's performance. Affleck's portrayal of Mendez was nothing short of heroic, and a form of heroism Affleck has not had opportunity to show in his previous films. John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, and Alan Arkin (my god, Alan Arkin) gave beyond-superb performances, leaving audiences with sincere appreciation for a Hollywood make-up artist, a CIA boss and a movie producer, three occupations that don’t always garner praise and admiration. Arkin deserves his second Best Supporting Actor award for his phenomenal portrayal of producer Lester Siegel at this month's Academy Awards. The six diplomats Mendez is sent in to rescue were splendidly morose and anxious throughout the film, epitomized by Clea Duvall and Rory Cochrane.

There is nothing to complain about with Argo; it's paced well, isn't too long, and even ends on a touching note—the reunion of Mendez with his estranged wife and child. Simply put, Argo was a fantastic film in all aspects, and is well-deserving of its Best Picture nomination.