the best part was the disparity between Tehran and Hollywood, which was straddled quite deftly. judging by the first trailer, that's something that could have gone really wrong, but it wasn't jarring at all. great balance between levity and seriousness.

and the last hour is very taut...although conventional (the van won't start! random idiot preventing the phone from being answered!). it worked because those devices have always worked, especially with patriotism and historical reference.

the relationships didn't go over strongly with me (aside from the housekeeper, who goes to waste in act three). the hostages were thinly written and the Mendez family subplot was a complete waste; it's as if Affleck imagined a cool ending shot and had the phone calls written in afterwards.

Affleck may yet have a great movie in him, but right now he doesn't have the balls to make one.