Ben Affleck directs and acts in ‘Argo,’ opening nationwide Oct. 12. (Courtesy of Warner Brothers)

For political junkies, Argo is thrilling. For historians, Argo is accurate and for the regular moviegoer, Argo is a hit.

Based on the bizarre but true story of a late 1970s CIA mission meant to free Americans from the then hostile country of Iran, Argo is a captivating two-hour thriller that builds with tension from the film’s first frame.

Ben Affleck does most of the movie’s heavy lifting as the Boston native both acts and directs in the movie. Argo is Affleck’s third attempt at stepping behind the camera and his experience and directorial poise is present.

The film draws its story’s material from declassified CIA documents that unveil the organization’s far-fetched attempt to rescue six American consulate workers from a Canadian ambassador’s Iranian house by posing as a Canadian science-fiction film crew location scouting in Iran for their movie Argo.

The idea belonged to Tony Mendez, a veteran CIA agent internally famous for his knack of rescuing American in tense, foreign countries. Affleck, fittingly, plays Mendez.

 While the film’s depth rests in the Iran rescue plotline, Argo also offers a glimpse of governmental operations that is far too often forgotten on film. Affleck certainly had his work cut out for him with Argo, one false fact and the movie could have been stripped of its authenticity. Luckily, Affleck did his homework.

Even though Affleck is the movie’s real hero, that doesn’t mean a strong, talented supporting cast didn’t anchor him. Alan Arkin and John Goodman play the Hollywood helpers of Lester Siegel and John Chambers to perfection. With Hollywood often mocked in movies of serious nature, Arkin and Goodman’s characters carry the industry in a pleasing light.

In fact, Argo argues the point that sometimes America’s greatest tool is the Hollywood culture itself.

Stand out supporting cast from the movie’s governmental plotline include Bryan Cranston as Jack O’Donnell and Tate Donovan as Bob Anders.

While a bulk of Argo demonstrates to the audience the extremely frustrating process of getting a mission so wild in its origin approved, the film really picks up pace when the actual missions commences.

Without giving away too many spoilers (as if a history book already hasn’t) Argo’s ending will have you on the edge of your seat.

Argo opens in theaters nationwide Friday.