By ALISON LESTER
Managing Editor
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 22, 2011
When I first saw the intriguing trailer for J. Edgar, I knew I had to see it. Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role with Clint Eastwood directing? Sold. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my high expectations.
J. Edgar, whose screenplay was written by Dustin Lance Black, examines the life of J. Edgar Hoover through the writing of his memoir. As the longtime director of the FBI who was involved with investigating famous cases such as the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, Hoover may be most commonly known for creating the modern-day version of the FBI, for pushing the passing of important federal laws, and for being devoted to taking down communists and anyone else who seemed to be a threat to America. While the film focuses on these public parts of Hoover’s life, it mostly centers on the more hidden and rumored parts.
J. Edgar shows that Hoover was involved with questionable wire-tapping and spying on several important political figures throughout his long career. Was Hoover really trying to keep his beloved country safe, or was he just trying to keep himself safe?
Even though it is heavily hinted as several times throughout the movie that Hoover was homosexual and was somewhat involved in cross-dressing, it is never fully said out loud. The relationship that Hoover has with his “number two man” Clyde Tolson, played by Armie Hammer, is a complicated one that leaves the audience with more questions than answers. Hammer does a great job playing the younger version of his character, but the older version is almost too awkwardly acted, and therefore not as convincing.
Naomi Watts plays Hoover’s loyal secretary, Helen Gandy. While her character has an important role in the film, Watts’ acting skills were occasionally dry. Despite this, I found myself continually interested with her unique role in Hoover’s life and in the FBI.
The part of mother Annie Hoover is played by Judi Dench, who gives a stellar performance as the domineering role model in Hoover’s life. Dench successfully shows how much Hoover’s mother affected his choices and encouraged his desire to be powerful and admired.
I am a fan of DiCaprio’s acting in general and enjoyed his performance in J. Edgar. I did notice though that it occasionally reminded me of his portrayal of Howard Hughes in The Aviator. I’m not sure if that was coincidental or if DiCaprio just plays the serious twentieth century roles the same way, but regardless, DiCaprio never wavered as Hoover.
This movie frequently jumps around in time to tell its story, but thanks to the great writing, it is never confusing. The props, scenery, and wardrobes are very authentic, which often makes it easy to tell which time period the movie has switched to before it’s announced.
Because J. Edgar moves between several decades so much, the actors were often required to be put into makeup that makes them look much older. This overly heavy makeup was distracting at times, which hindered the actors’ performances. While Watts’s aged makeup was the most convincing, Hammer’s was borderline creepy – his facial expressions often became lost underneath it, which I think was sometimes to blame for his previously mentioned awkward acting as an older man.
I find myself torn on how to feel about this film; it’s not as intense as the trailer makes it appear, and is often lacking in drama, but I think it still deserves some recognition at the next Oscars; particularly for the great acting by DiCaprio and Dench.
Even though J. Edgar isn’t as phenomenal as I’d hoped it would be, I still enjoyed watching it. I recommend it to those who enjoy political movies that are heavy in dialogue, and heavy in bad makeup.
