J. Edgar - Review

Being a person who has written film reviews before, I have to admit that biopics are a little more difficult to write about. However, I do feel that a biopic should succeed in three areas. First off, it should be relatively accurate (dramatic license withstanding of course). Second, casting the right actor or actress is essential to portray the person in question correctly. Third, the narrative should not be one-sided, no exceeding glorification and no overabundance of ridicule or disdain, I would say that J. Edgar fulfills the aforementioned prerequisites, but everything else is up for debate.

J. Edgar is a biographical feature about J. Edgar Hoover, the man who brought the “F” to the FBI. The film is directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the titular role. The first thing I noticed when the film began was its detached, gray-toned cinematography, extremely similar to Gran Torino and Million Dollar Baby, also directed by Eastwood. I was sure that all three films had the same Director of Photography, and after checking IMDb, it seems I was correct. Reception for the film has been mixed, and I can understand why, it’s a perplexing piece.

To get some of the history out of the way, J. Edgar Hoover was a man of controversy. He frequently fired agents on appearance alone, he was outspoken, openly abrasive, and an alleged homosexual, things all touched upon in the film’s narrative. The man was also jealous to the point of irrationality; one of his better-known displays of said bitterness was his hand in progressively ending Melvin Purvis’s career solely because of his success and public recognition, also touched upon. What the film did right was cast DiCaprio as Hoover, who brings his A-game to the production, and may very well dishearten anyone who doubted his abilities before. I believe this performance completely solidifies him as an actor, and that microscopic bit of superficial pretty boy persona from Romeo + Juliet and Titanic has finally been washed away. From a writing perspective, it’s well conceived, though the final product is a bit jumbled in its execution.

The atmosphere was too melodramatic for its own good, and while I never felt confused at any point in the plot, the poor transtions through time were conspicuous enough for me to sympathize with general audiences. Thankfully, the homosexuality aspect is handled with a lot more subtlety than you may expect, but it doesn’t come full circle as much as it could due to Clyde Tolson’s very transparent portrayal. Coupled with less than stellar make-up and a cringe-worthy, bittersweet conclusion, J. Edgar in and of itself is a mixed bag. It’s not a bad film, but not a great one. It’s flawed. 6.5 out of 10.