Argo: Taut, true thriller

Argo
Starring; Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman
At: PVR & others
Rated: 6/10
In the 70s, America was doing things to Iran which it should not have. It had gotten a good man deposed to save its oil interests in the region and got a dummy Shah installed. The Shah was a picture of debauchery and atrocities and was, after a long rule, finally removed by the people of Iran who installed the religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini at the helm. The Shah sought asylum in the US and got it. Enraged Iranians took to the streets and gheraoed the American embassy there. Fifty-six Americans were taken hostages and six managed to sneak out and take refuge at the Canadian ambassador’s residence. The hostage saga ended only after 444 days with all Americans being released from the embassy prison.
But this story is about the great escape of those six who had managed to sneak out of the embassy but had to be rescued by a CIA operative (Ben Affleck) to get out of the volatile country where everyone was baying for their blood. If the movie did not tell you that this was a true to life operation you wouldn’t have believed it in your wildest dreams that an entire Hollywood film, replete with Press conferences and crew, was faked to rescue these six persons. Won’t tell you more because it will spoil the fun for you. But, this one is real, taut, thrilling and very well scripted. Ben Affleck is at his best. 
Source: Published in The Sunday Pioneer, October 21, 2012

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