The story of Ben Affleck’s Hollywood comeback has reached its apex with “Argo,” his third and most assured movie as a director. It’s a perfectly constructed Hollywood thriller that effortlessly blends sparks of humor with tense plotting that doesn’t rely on gunfire and explosions.

And Affleck makes it all look easy. Anyone still want to make “Gigli” jokes?

Based on a true story, Affleck stars as CIA agent Tony Mendez, an expert at getting people safely out of hairy situations. The setting: 1979, Iran. The American embassy has been invaded with several Americans taken hostage, but six of them escape the building and take shelter at the home of the Canadian Ambassador. With tensions rising, Mendez concocts a plan to sneak the Americans out as the Canadian crew of a fake science fiction film.

The cover story requires real Hollywood input, including a script, production offices, press releases and concept art. Mendez turns to makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and a veteran producer (scene-stealing Alan Arkin in a composite role) to fill in the details. From there, Mendez must fly into Iran and teach the Americans how to look and behave like a film crew for a complicated trip through the heavily-secured airport.

While the backstory is real, Affleck has goosed up the actual escape for dramatic purposes (you can read a fairly detailed account of the mission online straight from the real Mendez). The changes make for excellent thrills though, with nearly all the added details serving as plausible extensions of what the CIA had to actually account for in their plans.

The final act is hold-your-breath-exciting, and it all unfolds without gunfights, screaming matches or the typical movie tricks. The plan succeeds and fails on routine telephone calls, forged paperwork and details of the preposterous fake movie.

Affleck continues to prove his mastery of casting, using great actors (some famous, some not) in a variety of roles large and small. Goodman and Arkin are especially entertaining as the Hollywood guys, and “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston juices all the CIA walk-and-talks as Mendez’s superior. You’ll also spot Victor Garber, Kyle Chandler and Philip Baker Hall in small but important roles.

Affleck is good in front of the camera too, but like in “The Town,” he’s smart to let the story take the place of any opportunities for showboating. “Argo” plays like a heist movie, with all the characters existing to play parts in the scheme. There’s no excess to a plot that moves from start to finish at breakneck pace, and all without herky-jerky, MTV camerawork or unnecessary action scenes.

After “The Town,” “Gone Baby Gone” and now “Argo,” Affleck stands alongside the most exciting mainstream directors working today. He uses classic storytelling techniques with a confidence that, unfortunately, isn’t especially prevalent in the system nowadays. Nobody will declare him the stylistic second-coming of Stanley Kubrick, but he makes distinct and accessible entertainment that raises the standard.

Grade: A