Argo

This film was great. It really was.
Now, before the story begins, there is a brief history of Iran before the 1979 crisis, which I found to be incredibly helpful. Here, until 1979, Iran was ruled by a man who was Western and cared little about the people. He was also lavish, as it was said that his wife bathed in milk, which is just weird if you ask me.
In 1979, power had switched hands, which made the people of Iran happy, but the old president, sick and dying of cancer was granted sanctuary in the US, making the Iranians unhappy. They begin to storm the US Embassy, while the people rush to burn and shred very single document in the building. The six people granting visas simply run out into the streets which the rest of the people are immediately taken hostage. These six are given asylum by the Canadian Ambassador (Victor Garber). The six are: Bob Anders, Lee Schatz, Mark and Cora Lijek, and Joe and Kathy Stafford (portrayed by Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Clea Duvall, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe). Each have a history and a personality, and they look like real people, not overly attractive actors.
Back in the US, the CIA is trying to get the people out of there, and their plans are awful, including providing the people with bikes so they can bike the 300 miles to the Turkish border and not get caught while trying that.  Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck, in his best role that I've seen) is to come up with an idea of getting them out. That evening, while talking to his son via telephone and watching the same movie as him, he comes up with an idea; the six are a film crew searching for locations to film their next movie. The CIA is skeptical, but they can't come up with anything better.
Mendez recruits John Chambers who won an Academy Award for Planet of the Apes (1968); the CIA also has him under contract. Mendez proposes to him the idea of making a fake film and Chambers (John Goodman) rolls with the idea. He and Mendez, now called Kevin Harkins, bring the idea to an old-time producer, Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin, great, even better here than in Little Miss Sunshine) who also jumps on board, though after some reluctance. But this fake film is going to be a fake hit. And so it is. They sort through old scripts and eventually settle on Argo, a science-fiction film with an exotic location, just what they need. After some negotiating, the script is purchased and Mendez begins his mission.
The remainder of the film deals with Mendez trying to get the people out without anyone getting killed, much easier said than done. There are twists and turns along the way, constantly leaving the viewer on the edge of their seat.
Affleck is a great director and this film shows why. The film is gritty and realistic, with authentic props and everything, utilizing tons of actual footage. The performances are great and the dialogue is made real with real emotion behind it. Everyone in this film, including the TV actors Chris Messina and Kyle Chandler, is fantastic, with kudos going to both Bryan Cranston, as one of the CIA directors and Alan Arkin.
Often times the characters aren't admirable, but that is how the events actually happened. Certainly, the film is about cooperation between countries but also a simple story about a man just wanting to get home to his son, as in Inception. This film deserves a second viewing because that's how great it is. So far, this film is the best of 2012; everyone should go see this film. Grade: A