Overview
A daring rescue mission unfolds against a backdrop of political turmoil and danger.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- sardonic
- focused
- historical thriller night
- political cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Ben Affleck's controlled direction, suspenseful true-story storytelling, strong ensemble performances, and unexpectedly comic Hollywood subplot, while noting that some supporting characters receive limited development.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tony Mendez invents a Canadian science-fiction film project and uses its production apparatus to disguise an extraction operation.
The rescue depends on CIA planning, White House approval, Canadian diplomacy, and the competing judgments of officials under time pressure.
The film depicts the 1979 Iran hostage crisis while deliberately evoking the focused, less frenetic thriller style associated with earlier Hollywood filmmaking.
Film meetings, passport checks, airport procedures, and production logistics become dangerous because Iranian security forces may expose the cover story.
Films like Argo, and why
Munich
shares a fact-based political thriller structure, covert extraction mission, escalating suspense, and institutional pressure
The Lives of Others
shares a historical espionage setting, morally pressured intelligence operatives, and tightly controlled suspense
Captain Phillips
shares a true-events rescue operation, ensemble teamwork, procedural tension, and a high-stakes escape
The Great Escape
shares a caper framework built around deception, ingenuity, performance, and escalating pursuit
Movie Details
- Director
- Ben Affleck
- Release Date
- 2012-10-11
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (9214)
Cast
- Ben Affleck
- Bryan Cranston
- Alan Arkin
- John Goodman
- Victor Garber
- Tate Donovan
- Clea DuVall
- Scoot McNairy
- Rory Cochrane
- Christopher Denham
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Argo about?
- A CIA exfiltration expert disguises six escaped embassy workers as a Canadian film crew in revolutionary Iran, turning Hollywood make-believe into a race for survival.
- What is Argo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Argo as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Argo violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Argo as moderate.
- What did critics think of Argo?
- Critics broadly praised Ben Affleck's controlled direction, suspenseful true-story storytelling, strong ensemble performances, and unexpectedly comic Hollywood subplot, while noting that some supporting characters receive limited development.
- Which films are like Argo?
- Films with a similar feel include Munich, The Lives of Others, Captain Phillips, and The Great Escape.
- How long is Argo?
- Argo runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Argo?
- In United States, Argo streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
