2012--Argo, Ben Affleck

 

2012—Argo, Ben Affleck

Nominated: Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty

Should have won: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Be sure to see: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Cabin in the Woods, Frankenweenie,The Grey, The

Hunger Games

“There are only bad options. It's about finding the best one,”--Tony Mendez

     Some movies are based on true events. Others have situations so outlandish they could only happen in the movies. Argo happens to be a movie containing both.

     The opening narration explains that in 1950, Iran elected a prime minister they call a shah who was replaced a few years later by a tyrant. He was ruthless and people starved. When he became ill with cancer, he was given asylum in the United States and this caused the Iranian people to assemble outside the U.S. Embassy demanding the shah be turned over to the people to be hanged. The outrage of the people is where the movie begins.

     Upon the taking of the embassy, six Americans manage to escape and find temporary refuge with the Canadian ambassador in Tehran. Through some searching, using children in a sort of sweatshop style, the Iranians were able to assemble pictures of the missing Americans. The group knows if they are found they will be executed. Meanwhile, back in the States, there are meetings to try to find a way to get the people home safely. CIA Agent Tony Mendez is called to take the reigns. Mendez is played by the film's director, Ben Affleck. The role is unlike any I've seen Affleck play before and with his beard it makes him look like Die Hard's Hans Gruber. He hatches a plan to get the Americans home. It is a plan so risky, outrageous, and ridiculous it has to be made up for this movie...but it really happened. While watching a scene from Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Mendez figures he can go to Tehran posing as a movie producer, round up the wanted Americans who can pose as a film crew on a scouting project, and return home. Taking extra precaution, back home they make posters, have a script written, hold press meetings for the movie's release, making everyone think the movie is legit. Mendez goes into the project with an alias of Kevin Harkins; make-up wizard John Chambers, who is known for his B-movie schlock films, is in on the mission; and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin in an Oscar winning role) helps with the project as well. Other than a choice few, nobody knows the project is a sham. The fake movie is to be called “Argo”. What does it mean? “Argo fuck yourself” Chambers, Mendez, and Siegel throw at each other off and on.

     Much of the movie is full of tension. While a good deal of it is set in America with the launch of the mission, the best scenes are in Tehran with the group, waiting in fear of what will become of them. They know they can't go outside; people are being hanged and shot. When the shredded papers are being pieced together to reveal the identities of the group, we know time is tight. And when “Harkins” is applying at the local film commission for a permit to film, finding the right moment to address the group, he sees a man hanging from a crane; a man who looks like him. Was it in his mind? Is it a foreshadowing to the audience? It is a chilling visual that could very well come true.

     Mendez introduces himself to the group as Kevin Harkins and gives them all new identities with Canadian backgrounds. They have to memorize every detail about their new lives and Mendez demonstrates how imperative it is they not buckle under pressure in a startling fashion. I felt for the group because on their location scout they know they are not filmmakers. When approached with common questions a film crew would be asked, a few hesitate. One looks through the wrong end of his viewfinder and “Bob” (the alias of the so called director of Argo) is asked what the theme of the movie will be. His answer is confusing, muddled, and uneducated. These scenes were key from a plot standpoint and an audience standpoint. The plot works because, knowing these people are not real filmmakers, they would make these kinds of mistakes. On the other hand it works from someone watching the movie's standpoint because it builds our tension and makes us worry for the group, and for Mendez who has risked his life to bring them home.

     The movie is full of intense sequences but the most might be when the group almost makes it to the plane but is pulled aside for further questioning. One of the best moments is when one who can speak Farsi, pulls out the storyboards and elaborates on what the plot of the movie is. I've been to a number of horror conventions and the security started acting like I do, excited about the space movie that is to be filmed in their country.

     From the opening escape from the embassy to hiding out to the scouting project to the escape, Argo offers intense emotions. The parallel story back in America is more lighthearted with Chambers and Siegel throwing jokes all the time. Usually I'm not a fan of comic relief in intense situations. It seems to be the thing to do but I always say if something is supposed to be scary, let it be scary; if it is supposed to be intense, let it be intense. Leave the humor out of it. This is a case I pushed that aside. Maybe because I've always liked Alan Arkin and John Goodman, and they furnish most of these moments. Not to mention the lines they throw out are in fact humorous and don't reach too far.

     The best moments are in the final act with the attempted escape that has a hitch. The final credits depicted the actors next to the real people involved is something any movie “based on a true story” should do. That term is getting thrown around so much I wonder what stories really are true. I liked the movie a lot but I know of a lot of people who are more knowledgeable of the actual case who didn't enjoy it because they said it wasn't accurate enough. I'm not the one to judge based on that, I just know what the movie told me. It held my attention, I cared for the characters' plight, and the whole rescue was accomplished because Tony Mendez was watching Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Just the fact an important part of history was sprung from one of the sequels of one of the greatest science fiction series ever produced says something in defense of film making.

     A bit of Oscar trivia: While Argo won best picture of 2012, Ben Affleck was not nominated for best director. This marks the first time since1989's Driving Miss Daisy the director of the movie that would win best picture was not given a nomination. Also, after watching this movie I would kind of like to see the movie Argo. Not Affleck's version, that's what this review is for. I'm talking about Kevin Harkins'. I bet it would be a blast.