By Andrew Marini ’13

THE ROUNDUP

“Argo” – Starring Ben Affleck, John Goodman and Brian Cranston

9 out of 10

Ben Affleck continues to impress as a director as well as the lead role in the film “Argo,” which revolves around the Iran hostage crisis.

The film follows the six members of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran who escape captivity and are hiding out in the Canadian Ambassador’s house.

CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck) is assigned to extract the six men and women in a way that wouldn’t draw any attention.

He, as well as Jack O’Donnell (Cranston), decide to make the fake film “Argo” with the help of special effects director John Chambers (Goodman) in an attempt to have a cover story when they try to extract the men and women from Tehran.

This pulse pounding film covers a large array of emotions from start to finish.

Comedy is sprinkled throughout primarily because of vulgarity, but also because the fake movie itself is just a big joke.

From the opening scene of the embassy being taken over, to Mendez (Affleck) stepping foot in Tehran, you will be on the edge of your seat.

Affleck does a great job of documenting the history of the time as well as bottling the emotion of both the Iranian and American people.

The plot, similar to a roller coaster, starts off good, and then just gets better as the Iran hostage crisis unfolds before your eyes.

Holding the film back really is just the predictability, as well as the occasional pointless scene that didn’t need to be in it.

Critics are already discussing “Argo” as a candidate for an Academy Award, which is wild but also seems very fitting, given how good it actually is.

Go out and see this film because it will leave you on the edge of your seat for the full 120 minutes and will have you walking out with a smile that many films could not have created.