Argo

As excellent as he is a director, he is simply a little bland as an actor. He proves the first not just in the opening, most powerful scene of the year, but throughout the movie. He manages to demonstrate immense bravado as a director, building up stifling tension in a story where you know what happens, while poetically interleafing political thriller with satire on a burned-out "_llywo_d". He also proves his acting (non)skills throughout, tripping himself up by otherwise casting acting aces in the other roles, or at least actors who constantly out-act him. This said, most detrimental turned out to be the airport finale where he comes across like an unintentional parody of himself. Certainly cinematic exaggeration of reality is one thing, but dishing out so many clichés in ten minutes is just too much. It is all the more surprising because up until that point he has been avoiding them and going his own way. So, in the end no new Munich or Baader Meinhof Complex occurs, it’s just too naive and shallow for that, but ranking it amongst them is sufficient recognition of Argo’s qualities. (2012-11-29)

Argo is based on the serious topic of Americans whose lives are in danger as they are stranded in Iran, sensitively lightened up by a playful Hollywood approach. The director’s craftsmanship is excellent; Ben Affleck is growing up. The clichéd scenes in the last third are probably not an accurate depiction of the actual events, but they fit well in the film’s concept, where a reallife political problem is resolved at the last minute by means of Hollywood heroism reminiscent of a comic book. Argo is visually polished and has a great cast and period atmosphere, as well as fantastic music by Alexandre Desplat. (2013-02-07)

Among film fans, it is a well-known fact that Ben Affleck is a much better director than an actor. But he is apparently not such a good director that he realizes the limits of his acting skills and adjusts the casting of the main character accordingly. That is unfortunate. What Ben Affleck builds in the director's seat, the same Ben Affleck tears down in the lead role with his bloodless performance. It's certainly not embarrassing, but it needed to be cast with a top-notch character actor. Ben Affleck's ability to create and maintain tension, his meticulousness in capturing the atmosphere of the 70s, as well as the revolutionary conditions in Iran after the fall of the Shah, still remain. In the field of political thrillers, it's not at the absolute peak, because Ben Affleck couldn't avoid a few unnecessarily melodramatic moments or getting emotional in family scenes, and the viewer's suspense is further marred by the fact that a film based on a true story has nothing to surprise you with and you simply know from the very beginning how it will end. On the other hand, it is a strong above-average film and it is a joy to watch such a well-executed screenplay. Overall impression: 75%. (2015-04-19)

I am very glad that Ben Affleck realized quite early on that he is not such a good actor, but that he might have talent for other professions in the film business. In 1998, he discovered that he has a talent for screenwriting because he won an Oscar for the screenplay of the film "Good Will Hunting" together with Matt Damon. What surprised the whole world even more was the fact that Ben is a great director. He proved it with his first film "Gone Baby Gone", and even more so with the film "The Town", but perhaps the most surprising thing was when he finally ventured outside of the city and surprised both critics and audiences with the film "Argo". More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/02/argo-2012-85.html (2013-04-09)

A smart and very thoughtful reconstruction of historical events that has been missing here for a long time. The film beautifully oscillates between serious drama and accomplished satire, intertwining both key elements in individual scenes from side to side. The whole thing appears mature, intelligent, and it is damn entertaining and captivating to watch. Ben Affleck also hit with the costume design, the sets, and the cinematography. The performances are brilliant by all involved. (2014-02-12)