“Argo” Screening Report

 

 

                 The 2012 film “Argo” directed and starring Ben Affleck is about the CIA operation lead by Tony Mendez to rescue six diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. This operation is known as the “Canadian Caper” because Mendez and the six diplomats disguised themselves as Canadian filmmakers scouting for locations for their new sci- fi film “Argo” and after the success of the operation Canada took full credit because of the strong tension between the United States and Iran at that time.  I overall really enjoyed this movie for the third time that I’ve sat down and watched it. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat with its fast paced editing and pacing in storytelling. There are many important and key scenes in this movie, but one really stood out too me.  In the following I will share why this scene is the most important and moving scene that encapsulates the whole theme and point that this movie is conveying.

                At about the one hour and twenty marks up till the one hour and twenty-two marks we see the main protagonist Tony Mendez going through an interpersonal dilemma and decision. Mendez has been told by his boss that the operation has been called off due to high risk of capture or death of the diplomats and Mendez. Mendez then drives back in darkness to his hotel and drinks a bottle of what appears to be whisky as he decides what his next actions are going to be. Since Mendez has already exposed the diplomats he has no other option but to attempt to get them on the plane and back to the United States. We can see this by the image of the sun rising up and Tony looking through the window his eyes down, but then he looks up and the audience knows that he’s not leaving without attempting to finish the job and rescue the diplomats.  

                This scene pretty much sums up the movie for the following reasons. We see the protagonist Mendez isn’t the most ideal perfect CIA agent we look for in films like in “James Bond” movies. Mendez life is a mess, he lives on his own, he’s sloppy, and not really put together. Throughout the whole movie it’s been about the underdog Mendez and his chance to do something right for his country, but more importantly for his fellow man.  In that one moment we don’t care we believe in Mendez and we want to see him pull through because we know then that he might accomplish the impossible.  That’s what great movies are all about!     

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