Argo

[The Movie Man]

Yes Carter signed off on the deal at the last minute, which is what he had to do. Unless he wanted a CIA man captured and probably the others hung. Other than that Carter wasn't involved.

[Michael Gary Scott]

One of if not best movies of year and affleck deserves best director

[Ezen Baklattan]

It's amazing how easily this film transitions from comedy to drama to thriller and all over again.Best movie of the year so far, IMO.

[Michael Gary Scott]

One question i had was that guy that shows up at the studio twice suppose to be jack nicholson?

[cozmeesah]

Just got back from seeing this. Wow. Is all I can say. Completely and utterly excellent in every way.9.5/10

[4815162342]

Looks like a film finally unseated The Grey for my #1 of the year so far.

[Blankments]

Fantastic movie. I had a great time with it, and it's the most tense movie in a long while. Arkin has an Oscar nomination for sure, and Cranston was also a highlight. Script was great, and overall just a really good movie.

A+

[Phil in the Blank]

I have 3 major problems with this film.1) Am i the only one who stepped out of that theatre feeling somewhat uneasy that I may have just experience some good old fashioned American propaganda? How 99.9% of the iranians were portrayed as blood hungry savages and the like? I dunno, maybe its just me.2) How the tension at the end of the film is pumped up beyond all 'reasonable' levels. I'm honestly surprised the Van did not get a flat tyre while they were travelling to the airport!3) Affleck's character himself is very bland....Outside of that though it was a very well shot and directed film with some good humour thrown in. I would recommend it even if I am finding it to be a touch overrated.B

[Crusader]

Good film but as Phil stated it has a lot of propaganda and is overly melodramatic

[cozmeesah]

Umm... they portrayed the Iranians (and not all of them were portrayed that way... Sahar, those at the airport & in the embassy) exactly how they seemed during the Hostage Crisis. They WERE that blood hungry when in those crowds.

[Crusader]

Yes but they were blood hungry cause US and its favorite european pets decided to install a tyrant over there and didn't wanna hand him over when people asked for him Movie strangely never lingers on that little fact 6 americans came back alive though that's very important It was a good movie but totally propagandish

[Gopher]

Am i the only one who stepped out of that theatre feeling somewhat uneasy that I may have just experience some good old fashioned American propaganda? How 99.9% of the iranians were portrayed as blood hungry savages and the like? I dunno, maybe its just me.

I think it's you. The film explained pretty well where the Iranians were coming from with that beautiful opening storyboard. Heck, it's arguably meaner to Canada than Iran (even though Affleck tried his best to please Canadian diplomat Ken Taylor with the film's postscript).

[baumer]

He didn't try to please the Canadian diplomat. When you secretly house the 6 Americans, get the Canadian government to issue passports for not only the 6 americans but for a member of the CIA and then take just as much risk as the Americans did in getting them out, then you have earned the praise bestowed upon you. There was nothing sweetened in this film about Canada's role.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

Yes but they were blood hungry cause US and its favorite european pets decided to install a tyrant over there and didn't wanna hand him over when people asked for himMovie strangely never lingers on that little fact6 americans came back alive though that's very importantIt was a good movie but totally propagandish

US and Europe have been fucking with the middle east for 100 years sadly.

[Phil in the Blank]

I think it's you. The film explained pretty well where the Iranians were coming from with that beautiful opening storyboard. Heck, it's arguably meaner to Canada than Iran (even though Affleck tried his best to please Canadian diplomat Ken Taylor with the film's postscript).

Mm yes, too its credit the film opens like that, but from then on in pretty much every Irani is portrayed either as a total victim to the new regime, or as someone who shouts incomprehensibly and wants to kill Americans. When America and Iranian tensions are as high as they in modern day, this just makes me feel uncomfortable.

[mattmav45]

I really wanted to love it, but I ended up just finding it to be a really well-made film that's missing something to make it great.

I wanted to know the characters more and to feel more investment in the events happening, but it just didn't happen for me. Still, it's a good film that does everything adequately. I was kind of amused by the chain reaction of close calls that began bordering on the ridiculous towards the end, but I suppose that was to be expected.

It definitely won't be my favorite at the end of the year, but if it does win BP.........I suppose it's better than some in recent memory at least.

B+

[rockNrollaDIM]

I agree Matt... "Argo" hasn't really stayed with me in the way that I think a true best picture caliber film should. It's an excellent thriller, very well made and entertaining, but it's missing some heart and feels a bit cold and mechanical.

[mattmav45]

I agree Matt... "Argo" hasn't really stayed with me in the way that I think a true best picture caliber film should. It's an excellent thriller, very well made and entertaining, but it's missing some heart and feels a bit cold and mechanical.

Yeah, it's definitely well-made, but I liked The Town and Gone Baby Gone a good amount more. Granted, I did love those two, and I think the main problem I had with this film was the lack of character development. I understand it's the kind of movie that doesn't lend itself to providing a lot of time to each and every character, but for me personally, I tend to like and appreciate films more when I can relate to the characters.

[Fanboy]

While I liked The Town (haven't seen Gone Baby Gone), I found it too slow and kind of boring. Like Matt said though, it takes advantage of the pace to develop its characters. Argo is the opposite. Argo is a fast-paced thriller from start to finish. Clever writing and direction, but it focuses on story more than characters. The first 10 minutes or so are amazing and hinted at a masterpiece, it just missed marks from there. I was still very entertained by what I saw, however.

It's definitely one of the better movies of the year, but I'm not sure if it's best picture worthy. Maybe best director, though I think there will be more deserving films to come this year. Either way, Argo is a better film than the town and maybe a longer director's cut could help flesh its characters out more.

A-

[DeeCee]

The great thing about the film is how it builds and maintains tension even though I was 99% sure everyone involved got out safely. With regards to the portrayal of the Iranians. It wasn't a broad sweeping saga covering the Iranian Revolution. It was a narrowly focused thriller on the embassy and the six who escaped. That's pretty much how the protestors at the embassy reacted. Still, the film still managed to have the sympathetic housekeeper who assisted them. Here is the original Wired article. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2007/04/feat_cia/