Having seen a few good films of late (Les Miserables), some poor films aimed for ching ching and little else (The Hobbit), Argo knocked my socks off. That it won best picture at the Oscars last night is not unmerited. I shall not ruin the story but it is a drama based on real events during the US hostage crisis in Iran in 1979 when the Islamofascists of Khomeni took power.
The ugly brutality of that regime (but its huge popular support) comes across explicitly. The film is riveting. I was on the edge of my seat until the last minute. I sort of knew what happened but none the less the film sucked me in with an air of uncertainty. And it drew you back to the late 1970s – an era of office shredders, long hair cuts and facial hairs, smoking in the office and folks drinking neat whisky like there was no tomorrow.
Ben Affleck is superb as the star of the film. Are spies really that cool? Maybe. I cannot see how he was not even nominated as best director. But the film picked up the blue riband. If you have not watched it yet, you should.
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