Pbenjay's Blog

English: Ben Affleck  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you ever wanted (why??) to know what it would feel like to be under attack in a foreign country, then you should see ARGO.

Actually you should go and see ARGO for lots of good reasons:  Ben Affleck is brilliant as the CIA’s extraction expert.  Some of my readers were just kids when 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days in Iran.  The United States gave the hated Shah of Iran asylum because he was dying.  The Iranians, naturally wanted to try the  dictator as a criminal and since they were thwarted by the United States in this matter, protests outside the American Embassy were a daily event.

The movie opens with the American Embassy under attack by an angry and hostile mob chanting loudly outside the gates.  Those who were adult at that time know what happened next.  The mob climbed the fences and stormed the Embassy compound.  The intense chaos and the sheer terror sent shivers through me.  And that was only the opening scene.   I could not stop shivering and shaking throughout the entire movie.  I had a scarf that I kept fussing with and holding it up over my mouth.  I swear my teeth were chattering!

The movie is the true story of how 6 Americans escaped.  The CIA working with the Canadian government executed a thrilling and scary rescue.  Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez gave an outstanding performance as the cool, level-headed, pragmatic, creative and courageous CIA expert.  He was understated,  quietly exuding confidence that comes only to those who believe in their abilities and strengths.  Mr. Affleck also skillfully directed this action-packed and psychological thriller.  Watching the event un-fold was nerve-wracking for me because I don’t like to watch violence and even though those scenes were limited, it was the tension , stretched taut as a  high wire act throughout the entire film that kept me shaking.

The fact that I knew the ending and outcome in no way lessened the heightened intensity of the film and by the end I was exhausted.

Alan Arkin and John Goodman used their comedic timing and deadpan delivery to bring some comic relief to this serious story.  They were wonderfully cast and it was delightful to visit with these old pros again.

ARGO is a movie about a movie that is never made BUT appears to be in production to the whole world, and especially so to the Iranian government.  It is the brainchild of Tony Mendez and his ingenious plan to extract the Americans trapped in the Canadian Embassy where they fled during the attack. Imagine if you can, the six  semi-hostages as technicians and location scouts!  And this is where John Goodman and Alan Arkin come in.

ARGO is on the fast-track to the Academy Awards, catch it when it comes to your local theater.