"Argo"

I guess that if a Writer had approached a Studio to pitch the idea for this movie, they would be laughed off the lot. For it seems such a ridiculous premise, yet since the freedom of information act, it has transpired that the events depicted in the film, with a degree of artistic licence, did take place.

Back in 1979, the US Embasssy in Iran was stormed by revolutionaries, and this is the story of how the US Government and the CIA came up with a plan to get them back.
With the Embassy being held, and hostages involved, there was however a group who managed to escape, and were being sheltered by the Canadian Ambassador in his residence.
Tony Mendoza comes up with the insane idea to send a team of Operatives to Iran, under the premise of being there to make a new Sci Fi film, and being able to gain access to the Embassy will be able to somehow increase the size of his team by the number of escaped staff. The fact the everyone has to have a document both entering and leaving the country, and that the escaped staff need fake passports, does not deter him.
Obviously given the fact that the Embassy staff get back to the States, leaves little in the way of whteher they did or did not make it out alive, but other films have been faced with this scenario, movies like "Apollo 13", "Thirteen Days" etc, and still made a very memorable film.

The film is nicely played out, and at times there are some very tense scenes, especially involving an altercation in a local market, where one wonders whether the identities of the escaped Embassy staff will be revealed.
Ben Affleck does another admirable job in the Director's chair. It would seem evident that he had learned a lot from the many talented Directors he has acted for, and is fast becoming one of America's hottest Directing talents.
The cast all do a decent job, Alan Arkin and John Goodman shine in particular though, as two Hollywood Executives who help provide cover for the fake movie.
Speaking of tense moments, comes the inevitable  time when they have to go through Security in the Airport, and though it is tense, it all seems rather cliched, having been done many times before, and in some cases a lot more effectively. And when the Iranians realise their mistake, as the plane starts to taxi down the runway, seeing them in hot pursuit, am I the only one sat there thinking this is almost turning into a comedy farce?

A good story of the US undertaking a daring mission and coming out victorious......8 out of 10

PS - Since reviewing this film, I have come to discover several facts about the story, alterations, ommissions, that water down my enjoyment of it, and to this end I have rescored the film 7 out of 10. And despite its success at the Golden Globes, I feel it is unworthy of a Best Picture nomination, and really hope it is not given the honour of Best Picture come February 24th