Argo (USA 2012) preview

 Argo (USA 2012) preview

ARGO begins with a brief summary of the history of Iran: the accumulation of the revolution, the overthrow of the Shah, the return from exile of Ayatollah Khomeini and his rise to supremacy. Then movies directly in the events of November 4, 1979, when crowds of angry Iranians, their applications in the United States to extradite the Shah refused to die, the U.S. embassy assault in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage.

Six manage to sneak, however, to take refuge in the home of the Ambassador of Canada, (Victor Garber). Initially relieved to be in relative safety, they soon realize that this is only a matter of time before the occupants of the Embassy discover his absence - and the track. The big question: how to get out safely amid civil unrest and violent anti-American hostility?

Enter CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck, bearded, disheveled, and beautifully understated). His specialty: the secret retreat. He invented the half-baked plan in place and again with six refugees - posing for a Canadian film crew on a location scout for a film on the Sci-Fi right space ARGO false. His superior (Bryan Cranston) could even do a crazy project in the White House is a testament to the desperation of the Agency and the absence of any reasonable alternative. But he argues that it is reluctantly and gave the green light.

Next stop Hollywood. Mendez recruiting services, where the special effects guru John Chambers and the famous film producer Lester Siegel mega (played by John Goodman and Alan Arkin, respectively). Together, they give the film a good result of satirical humor and credibility of the project, generating international publicity (including press releases, posters, cast, storyboards, interviews, etc.) for false blockbuster science fiction based on a scenario cheese that has been gathering dust for years. (In fact, the ARGO current script, as used by the CIA - and not for the film - is the feature film that was never made Lord of Light, based on the novel by Roger Zelazny.)

So, armed with false papers and passports for the six fugitives Mendez steals a turbulent Tehran - these sequences were shot in Istanbul - to answer their charges and give them a crash course for film industry professionals. To say that his flight after - 48 hours later - is tense would be an understatement!



Focus on real events as it does, ARGO resignation character development and depth, which could be considered a defect here. We know little about its history or background Mendez and out of her rescue, only to discover six Americans endangered (Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, et al), at most slightly. However, I found the film fascinating, like most of us who have followed the events described, and remember that the remaining 52 hostages were released after 444 days only.

Gone Baby Gone and the city was no indication fine talent director Ben Affleck and his ability to tackle difficult issues and turn them into riveting cinema. His latest, ARGO, won cheers and Second Audience Award when it was presented at the Toronto Film Festival and is generating a serious image and Best Best Director Oscar buzz with its reconstruction and compact modern grab a historic event that has recently been declassified. Affleck had a lot of support - the authenticity of the film by Rodrigo Prieto to the increasing tension of the screenplay by Chris Terrio, based on ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN article by Joshuah Bearman. All this is true, then thanks to production designer Sharon Seymour. Alexandre Desplat score is also worth noting, as producers George Clooney and Grant Heslow