"Argo" (2012), Ben Affleck's latest director-actor project, follows the 1980 joint CIA and Canadian secret service mission to rescue six American diplomats from revolutionaries in Tehran, Iran. Based loosely on Tony Mendez's account of the historical rescue, the film follows the events of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. In order to get the diplomats back, Affleck, in his role as Mendez, devises a plan to pose as a Canadian film production crew working on a film in Iran. However, when the crew lands in Iran, the plan quickly begins to unravel. Affleck chooses to bring to the front a part of the Iran hostage crisis little known, focusing on the six diplomats and not the 52 Americans in captivity.Ashley Ulrich
Directed by: AffleckWith: Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman120 minutesRated R
Affleck definitely doesn't disappoint: This is easily one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. The plot races ahead at full speed, but Affleck also takes an insightful look into the thoughts and emotions of the actual captives. Real historical footage blends seamlessly with the set, and I felt captured by the national sentiment of the time period. Erin O'Neil
"Argo" is Affleck's third film as a director, and I have yet to see anything truly special about his style as a filmmaker. What makes "Argo" an OK movie rather than a terrible one is the sheer veracity of the incredible story off of which it's based and not anything that Affleck himself inserted into the final cut. I will give kudos to Alan Arkin as a grizzled Hollywood veteran pulled into the whole spectacle. Varun Bhuchar
Darkly humorous and wildly suspenseful, Affleck's thriller story proves anything but disappointing. The film is a perfect mix when it comes to all elements of filmmaking. The film's attention to historical detail is also unfailing, and the actual events of the Iran hostage crisis were respected in every detail. The film managed to keep me on the edge of my seat in suspense. Laura Sim
