Argo

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 (09/04/2013)

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. (30/11/2012)

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. (07/02/2013)

Not the event of the season - American critics and audiences must logically be enthusiastic about a film that is not foolishly simplistic, but at the same time is able to maintain popular schemes and a certain "power-film" patriotism. From my point of view, I appreciate the clever and functional montages (reading the Argo screenplay / drastic scenes from Iran - the heist parallel "escape planning / pursuit procedure"), the famous self-defeating humor of the Hollywood storyline and the escape sequence shot exclusively in detail and semi-details - retro styling and camera movement by Rodrigo Prieta are a pleasure in and of themselves. However, after a "problematic" political introduction, Argo finally capitulates to the tried-and-true schemes, but this does not degrade the fact that Ben Affleck made another uniquely-crafted film, which I "purely enjoyed". (24/11/2012)

Affleck didn't disappoint again. This time his work may not have that much panache and the viewer has to endure the first half of the film without any emotional basis for the events rather than experience them, but the final, one could say riveting, passage convinced me to give it a high rating and especially about Affleck's qualities as a director. A well-drawn tense situation, a beautiful period atmosphere, a surprisingly decent performance by Affleck and pleasant allusions to the deceitfulness and depravity of the movie industry, all this against a backdrop of a great escape that, in the end, had me completely engrossed and keeping my fingers crossed for the heroes as much as I have done for any film in a long time. Plus the necessary dose of clichés and the mandatory diversion towards the audience, which increased the dynamism and impact of the climax. My Oscar favourites this year may have been made of completely different dough, but Affleck rocked the academics in such style that he couldn't possibly lose. Patriotism is highly addictive, especially when it’s portrayed with such quality. "Argo, fuck yourself!" (10/03/2013)