3.5 stars out of 5
Leonardo DiCaprio once again proves that he is great at playing a real person on the big screen in his newest film, the biopic, ‘J. Edgar.’ Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film takes the audience back and forth between the last few months of John Edgar Hoover’s life to the rise of his career to becoming the first director of the FBI.
The film begins with J. Edgar, DiCaprio, relaying his life story to revolving men behind a type writer during a time in his life where he was becoming a continuously controversial figure because of his illegal methods of collecting evidence.
His story goes from the first time that he got the urge to investigate a crime, through the rise of his career via the arrest of several radical figures and the investigation in the kidnapping and death of Charles Lindbergh’s (Josh Lucas) son all while living with his mother, Annie Hoover (Judi Dench.)
The hiring of Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) followed by his close friendship and secret relationship with the man through Tolson’s stroke and even until J. Edgar’s own death is also a big part of the film.
Both DiCaprio and Tolson were phenomenal at getting the characters down pat. Had the make-up not been an easy thing to point out, both of the actors’ voices and mannerisms would be hard to differentiate from the originals. Naomi Watts, though not shown very often, made a very believable Hellen Gandy as well.
The music, composed by director Clint Eastwood himself, set the tone for the movie well. It was soothing, and at no time overpowered the story that was playing on the screen. It was just enough for the audience to feel it rather than think of it as noise.
Though the movie seemed to drag on quite a bit and the makeup on the actors’ “aging” faces was something that you were able to tell was makeup, it was a very interesting film and was able to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering where the next rise or downfall in J. Edgar’s life and career would be.
