How Sci-Fi Attempted to Save 6 American Fugitives in 1979 Iran
Argo
is based on the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian mission to extract 6 American diplomatic fugitives out of revolutionary Iran. The CIA-agent Tony Mendez comes up with a crazy Hollywood-production cover
to do the deed. I'd like to emphasize the fact that it is 'based on' this historical fact. Despite Argo's success and spectacular production/direction, the movie has been criticized for inaccuracies. People tend to forget that a movie is still a work of fiction even if based on History. As a director, it is obviously hard to stick to the factual truth without taking sides. Even if you tell a pretty objective story, you can never perfectly underscore each detail of what really happened. Otherwise, historical feature-films would be 10-hour long. Considering all of the above, I would put Ben Affleck on my personal long list of majestic directors. He really did surprise me in a good way. I am no History teacher so I have no idea how wrong or right he was about the facts. I'm just a movie-lover. In my life-long experience of enjoying big-screen entertainment, I believe that if what you watch is moving, funny and suspenseful, then the movie crew's job is done. You obviously don't choose such a topic randomly. Affleck has a message to state. I think he succeeded in staying away from the usual US-Greatness too often displayed in Hollywood. Proof is that nobody in CIA supports Tony Mendez' pitch at first. The archive footage used in the film is well-inset. It's an undoubted ancknowledgment and appreciation of Canada's role in the mission. And what a cast! Clea DuVall, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Rory Cochrane... It's really worth every penny. Despite the war context, Argo is still impressively funny. It's more of a spy movie than a war movie. Which, in my opinion, is much better. The depiction of the movie industry and the US-government is accurate and sincere. Ben Affleck does not soft-soap anyone in his feature-film.
is based on the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian mission to extract 6 American diplomatic fugitives out of revolutionary Iran. The CIA-agent Tony Mendez comes up with a crazy Hollywood-production cover
to do the deed. I'd like to emphasize the fact that it is 'based on' this historical fact. Despite Argo's success and spectacular production/direction, the movie has been criticized for inaccuracies. People tend to forget that a movie is still a work of fiction even if based on History. As a director, it is obviously hard to stick to the factual truth without taking sides. Even if you tell a pretty objective story, you can never perfectly underscore each detail of what really happened. Otherwise, historical feature-films would be 10-hour long. Considering all of the above, I would put Ben Affleck on my personal long list of majestic directors. He really did surprise me in a good way. I am no History teacher so I have no idea how wrong or right he was about the facts. I'm just a movie-lover. In my life-long experience of enjoying big-screen entertainment, I believe that if what you watch is moving, funny and suspenseful, then the movie crew's job is done. You obviously don't choose such a topic randomly. Affleck has a message to state. I think he succeeded in staying away from the usual US-Greatness too often displayed in Hollywood. Proof is that nobody in CIA supports Tony Mendez' pitch at first. The archive footage used in the film is well-inset. It's an undoubted ancknowledgment and appreciation of Canada's role in the mission. And what a cast! Clea DuVall, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Rory Cochrane... It's really worth every penny. Despite the war context, Argo is still impressively funny. It's more of a spy movie than a war movie. Which, in my opinion, is much better. The depiction of the movie industry and the US-government is accurate and sincere. Ben Affleck does not soft-soap anyone in his feature-film.
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