On its most basic level, Argo is a tense spy film whose ludicrous premise is only redeemed by the fact that it’s 100% true: CIA agent Tony Mendez really did rescue six American diplomats from Iran during the Hostage Crisis by blustering in and out of the country pretending to be a producer for a science fiction movie that was never going to be made. The writing is sharp, the directing is tight, and the acting—from director/star Ben Affleck as Mendez down to the smallest cameo—is, across the board, fantastic. On that level alone the movie is great and you should go see it.
But beyond the basics, Argo is also complicated exploration of the power of fiction to on one hand tell a story, and on the other, shape reality. Both espionage and film making rely on telling complicated lies that people want to and need to believe, if only for a couple hours. (Except that people in the CIA can never take credit for what they’ve done, while Hollywood people will sue for their proper credit.)
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