‘Argo’ is a declassified hit, Oscar contender

The phrase “based on a true story” has sadly been used by the movie industry much too often.
It has lost its original meaning, particularly because many movies based on past events only incorporate a small amount of truth.
 However, contradictory to this is Ben Affleck’s latest film, with its careful attention to historical detail and breathtaking cinematography. The movie is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Affleck stars in and directs “Argo,” a true story about a CIA plot to rescue six American state employees during the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979.
The story, sometimes referred to as the “Canadian Caper,” was only declassified by the American government in the late 1990s and is relatively unknown to the public.
Affleck plays CIA Agent Tony Mendez, whose goal is to produce a fictitious Canadian film in Iran in order to hopefully rescue six Americans who were hiding at the house of the Canadian Ambassador to Iran.
The script is partially based on former CIA technical operations officer Antionio Mendez’s book about the incident called “Master of Disguise.”
Also starring John Goodman and Alan Arkin as movie producers for the fake Canadian science fiction film, “Argo” succeeds at drawing the audience in with both recognizable and unrecognizable stars.
From beginning to end, it is a complete tour de force.
The authenticity of “Argo” is one of the film’s most appealing aspects. Affleck’s careful attention to detail is mesmerizing. He even includes actual news broadcasts from Walter Cronkite to seamlessly blend reality into the film.
From the casual cigarette smoking of the late 70s to the absurd leisure suits men wore in the early 80s, “Argo” has it all.
Perhaps the film’s greatest accomplishment is the fact that all the seemingly different aspects of the film complement each other rather than clash with one another.
The acting, cinematography, directing and writing in the movie are all on an equal level of excellence.
Rather than trying to out-perform other aspects of the film, “Argo” is solely focused on making itself the best-produced film that it can be.
The pace of “Argo” is one that all ages can enjoy. Young viewers seeking to watch a thriller with the proverbial “good guys” and “bad guys” will be thoroughly entertained.
More seasoned viewers, who can recall the enormously tense moments of the Iranian Hostage Crisis from 1979-81, will be absolutely enthralled with the perfect characterizations of the Americans and Iranians during the turbulent period.
“Argo” is worthy of an Oscar for the mere fact that in addition to informing and entertaining audiences, it changes them as well.
The movie is a beautiful lens into the past, designed to show how far we have advanced.
Then again, the lens is also a double-edged sword with echoes of the current Afghanistan conflict embedded deep within the film.
“Argo” may not win in the box office, but it will win where it matters most: the heart.
Like a great dream or a distant memory, “Argo” will leave viewers forever changed, with a warm feeling that most of today’s movies cannot provide.