Film Review #3

  

Argo is a 2012 historical drama thriller film directed by Ben Affleck. This dramatization is adapted from the book The Master of Disguise by CIA operative Tony Mendez, and Joshuah Berman's 2007 Wired article "The Great Escape" about the "Canadian Caper",in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

    Cast:

Ben Affleck - Tony Mendez

Bryan Cranston - Jack O'Donnell

Alan Arkin - Lester Siegel

John Goodman - John Chambers

Taylor Schilling - Christine Mendez

Victor Garber - Ken Taylor

Tate Donovan - Bob Anders

Clea Duvall - Cora Lijek

Scoot McNairy - Joe Stafford

Rory Cochrane - Lee Schatz

Christopher Denham - Mark Lijek

Kerry Bishe - Kathy Stafford

Kyle Chandler - Hamilton Jordan

Chris Messina - Malinov

Zeljko Ivanek - Robert Pender

Ben Affleck - Director, Producer

Synopsis:   

The film shows the real life of the Iranian people during the revolution, when dozens of Americans were held captive in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.  Only six embassy workers escaped the building and had to seek refuge in the Canadian ambassadors home. The U.S. and the CIA began developing ideas for how to extricate those six individuals. Tony Mendez would put together a fake Hollywood production, a "science fantasy" in the style of Star Wars, and represented the six Americans as his Canadian team for creating the film.

Review:

  No doubt, Ben Affleck is the best director and his film “Argo” has rightfully earned the highest award.  On the one hand it is captivating, expertly machined political thriller,on the other hand it’s a and an ingeniously written drama that reveals the unknown historic events. And at the same time, the film contains a lot of funny moments. It is impossible to ignore this film! It's a cinematic feast, exciting and tense action drama!

  I can’t but admire the main character of the film, who ran risks in order to save people from a cruel death. He was brave, determined, and witty. Together with him I sympathized with these people, who were tired to live in foreign country in constant fear. It was impossible for Mendez to stay them even when the government decided not to risk the reputation of the USA and sacrificed them. Tony was confident in the success of the operation and he made others to believe.

   The film keeps the viewer in suspense, it made me cry, when at the end, I saw happy faces of the liberated people, who was sure in their successful future. To my mind this film is very patriotic for American people. It shows that in difficult situations Americans join their efforts to overcome all obstacles and to save their citizens.