When Clint Eastwood directs a biopic, brace yourself for a lengthy ‘talkies’ experience. Unless you are fascinated with the early beginnings of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), particularly with J. Edgar Hoover, who headed the bureau for 50 years, then skip the movie.
The name J. Edgar Hoover, even if you don’t care about American history and politics, rings a bell to Hollywood crime-drama fans. The former FBI director was even regularly mentioned in the cult hit series The X-Files, which starred FBI agents Mulder and Scully, and where Hoover’s framed photo on the walls of the bureau was often showed to us.
J.Edgar, filtered by sad monotonous shades of blue and gray, with unemotional musical score, will challenge your attention. Hoover is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance is highly disappointing in this movie. The actors feel like they were left alone in their craft, and DiCaprio was unable to transform into Hoover, his speech and accent unnatural and unpleasant to the ears.
J. Edgar Hoover was a highly guarded individual, and so the movie depicts what little information is known about his private life. Who was this genius who created the bureau’s impressive and innovative methods? Who was this once feared and most powerful man in America who went through three wars and eight presidents as head of the FBI? In the movie, we get an interesting insight into the origins of some of the bureau’s impressive and current structure, Hoover’s personality and character, and we are also provided with only three major characters surrounding him: his domineering mother (Judi Dench), his loyal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts), and, most especially, his very close colleague Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), which confirms the FBI director’s sexuality.
J.Edgar is the type of film that can be more appreciated when watched in a movie house—most preferably in a crowded movie house because the audience response can boost its entertainment factor. There’s something about the audience’s collective response that will help you get more in touch with the film’s message and, of course, sustain your attention until the end credits.
The heart of the film is Hoover’s relationship with Tolson, which will surely spike your interest level. Armie Hammer has the most notable performance in this movie (even Naomi Watts gave a sad performance) and with much relief, has good chemistry with the disappointing DiCaprio.
Again, unless you’re interested in Hoover and the FBI, J. Edgar might bore the daylights out of you.
2.5 out of 5 stars
Opens on January 25, 2012 in Philippine Cinemas.
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