Mark Lester

Ben Affleck's "Argo" is a masterfully-told story of the successful effort to smuggle 6 American diplomats out of Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. Supported by a terrific cast including Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman, Affleck creates a terrific balance of emotion, humor and suspense as he takes us through different locations and periods on the timeline of the recon operation, in Cranston's character's words "the best bad idea we have". The attention to detail is amazing, and the movie works on so many levels, never slowing down until its thrilling climax.