Ben Affleck has established himself as a world-class director, helming back-to-back crime classics in the riveting Gone Baby Gone and the equally rewarding The Town. Critics began to wonder if Affleck, though, could tell a story outside of his comfort zone of South Boston. In response, the filmmaker has tackled Argo, which we caught at the Toronto International Film Festival and can happily report is another crowd-pleasing winner.
Based on true events, Argo is set during the lengthy Iran hostage crisis of the late 1970s, where a handful of U.S. embassy workers have taken refuge at the home of a Canadian diplomat and need to be safely extradited. Affleck plays Tony Mendez, a CIA specialist with an offbeat plan to remove the hostages that involves Hollywood, a fake science-fiction movie, and a whole lot of luck.
Argo is one of those films I expect to have mainstream appeal – Affleck directs the situation for maximum thrills and incredible tensions – as well as Oscar credibility. The supporting cast is fantastic, boasting top-notch performances from John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Tate Donovan and the great Bryan Cranston.
The film will open in theaters on Oct. 12. Warner Bros. just shared a new one-sheet poster for the film, which sells Affleck as the star (full, up-close head shot) but cleverly hints at the Hollywood involvement in the absurd storyline with the film strip running through the middle. Nicely played.
Here’s the poster. Are you planning on seeing Argo when it opens in theaters?
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