The film was well paced and scripted. The writers (Arthur Marcum, Matthew Hollaway, Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Don Heck) managed to keep the film grounded, while allowing the more fantastical elements to shine through. Favreau showed he is a true fan of the source material. He managed to keep the film true to its core story and still grow and evolve into a new medium. As to the acting, Downy and Howard are both good but the real gem in the film is Bridges as the villain Stane. You watch is character grow from business man to super villain nicely, and unlike many super hero films, Bridges seems an even match for Downey's Ironman