OUR MAN IN TEHRAN (Larry Weinstein, Drew Taylor). 85 minutes. Opens Friday (September 20). For venues and times, see listings. Rating: NNN
Given the title, you might think this Canadian-produced talking-heads look at the 1979 Iranian-U.S. hostage crisis would act as a counter to Argo, playing up the role of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor. While Tony Mendez and Taylor both show up, the focus is squarely on the history of the incident.
Those hoping Taylor would get his due as a player in the rescue will be disappointed, since he somehow manages to blend into the background until the second half.
But that’s appropriate, because Larry Weinstein and Drew Taylor quite rightfully concentrate on the crisis as a messy political and religious quagmire with numerous moving parts. There might not be a lot of new facts coming to light here, but the variety of voices and a fast pace make the film feel comprehensive and devoid of superfluous asides.
It also looks at how the political climate in Ottawa shaped the tricky process of getting American hostages out of the Canadian embassy. And Taylor speaks honestly about the U.S. fake-movie plan.
All of this should appeal to those critical of Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning film.
