Argo

Movie posters can tell prospective viewers a lot about a movie. They let you know who is in the movie, the tagline, and often give hints to smaller details in the film. What does the poster for Argo tell the average movie-goer? All of the above, but on top of them one thing reigns supreme: Too. Much. Ben. Affleck.

Anyone who is a history buff (or saw a preview) knows that this story revolves around the rescue of six American diplomatic personnel trapped in a hostile Iran. Sorry, that should be rephrased, it revolves around the CIA operation, not the people, which is the major downfall of this film.

Overall, the acting is superb. Special mention to John Goodman and Alan Arkin for stellar performances in their roles. And for the small amount of time we actually get to see the six Americans they are impressive. They really wring out as much empathy as they can with the little screen time. Bryan Cranston has become more and more of a household name again thanks to his time on "Breaking Bad." Fans of his earlier work on "Malcolm in the Middle" may be happy to see a resurgence of his bumbling character Hal save for a few shining moments.

Then there's Mr. Affleck. It's true that his acting is good, excluding the atrocity that was Gigli. But it's also true his directing is better. (See Gone Baby Gone  or The Town and tell me otherwise). Here it becomes a story not about the operation or the six Americans, but rather Affleck parading around on screen, his character lying (and drinking) at every turn. It's certainly not a bad performance, but the one thing about it that really sticks with you is his ability to grow a great beard.

Being based on a true story Argo has a lot of things going against it (familiarity with the plot), but it does a good job of making it all feel novel and exciting. It builds tension well and keeps us on the edge of our seats for a large part of the film. But what good is a rescue plot if you ignore the development of the people who are supposed to be rescued? Exactly what happens in this film: little to no empathy for any of the supporting characters.

I will say that the amount of positive reviews Argo was receiving definitely affected my viewing, but either way I would have walked away feeling like I just sat through 120 minutes of watching Ben Affleck's beard grow while he chases down the necessities for his operation. If you enjoy history (or Affleck) see this movie. Otherwise it can wait until DVD.

6.5/10