Spoiler alert: They get away.

Before the movie even begins, everyone already knows Ben Affleck will get the six American hostages out of Iran. It’s not a twist ending.

Yet despite the inevitable rescue, “Argo” is a thrilling, two-hour experience.

The film pulls off what should be an uneasy transition: an offbeat parody of retro Hollywood and a high-stakes escape from a dangerously unstable country. “Argo” seesaws between the two settings, blending tense drama and quippy dialogue as the CIA uses a fake science-fiction movie to extract six Americans who escaped from the American embassy in Iran. True story.

Affleck’s third directorial outing is his best to date. He frames the action with close, humanizing shots and an eye for small details as he carefully recreates a defining event in American history. “Argo” has exciting action, smart writing and strong supporting performances from its large ensemble cast — particularly veteran actors John Goodman and Alan Arkin.

Affleck takes a history lesson and makes it real, putting authentically frightened faces on the six everyday Americans caught in revolutionary upheaval.

The film opens with arguably its most powerful scene: Nov. 4, 1979. A mob of enraged protesters is storming the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Thousands climb the fences and surround the building, as guards try to hold them back with tear gas. Inside, embassy workers are smashing computers, burning and shredding documents before they’re overrun. Meanwhile, six Americans slip out a side entrance and head to the Canadian ambassador’s house.

CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez (Affleck) is tasked with extracting them. His “best bad idea” is posing as a film crew for a science-fiction movie called “Argo,” and simply flying out of the airport. He jets to L.A. and enlists the help of makeup specialist John Chambers (Goodman) and aging producer Lester Siegel (Arkin), who set up a fake office and hold a fake press conference for the film. Once the cover is set, Mendez flies into Tehran to get the six out.

As the lead, Affleck plays it cool. He’s the fixer — the one who keeps calm while everyone else is freaking out. He’s never been the strongest actor, but the performance is understated. There are flecks of gray in his overgrown ’70s hair and bushy beard, and Affleck’s silence is often more powerful than his words.

On the other hand, his directing is vividly expressive and animated. Affleck continues his career renaissance behind the camera, finally branching out from his Boston home after “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town.” He captures the atmosphere of an iconic historical moment: bodies hanged in the streets of Tehran and striking propaganda imagery of Ayatollah Khomeini, set against beautiful shots of the city in the shadow of snow-capped mountains.

There are layered shots of Iranian orphans painstakingly piecing together mountains of shredded documents, and the 52 terrified Americans blindfolded inside the embassy. The camera also focuses on faces: Iranians, Americans, CIA agents, hostages — their looks of confusion, anger, panic; beads of sweat streaming down their foreheads.

The action sequences are shot with similar precision: quick cuts of car chases, soldiers rushing through the airport and the plane finally taking off as army vehicles follow close behind. The escape is juxtaposed with scenes back in the states, featuring the nervous expressions of agents and filmmakers alike all waiting in tense anticipation.

Engaging acting ties the whole narrative together. Goodman and Arkin play off each other well, their witty banter and sarcastic delivery interjecting some much-needed comic relief. “Friday Night Lights” actor Kyle Chandler sneaks in a scene or two as Jimmy Carter’s Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan, and Bryan Cranston has some witty lines as CIA Chief Jack O’Donnell.

Arkin is the cast member destined for awards, boasting a collection of colorful lines and the film’s best catchphrase: “Ar-go f*** yourself.”

“Argo” is a well-acted, skillfully directed portrayal of one of America’s greatest success stories. It’s an intense, historical thriller with a feel-good ending where the good guys win — a guaranteed formula for Oscar nominations.

But in all seriousness, the U.S. government would never have declassified a failure.

Published on October 25, 2012 at 2:57 am

Contact Rob: rjmarvin@syr.edu