J. Edgar

Director Clint Eastwood explores the life of one of the most influential men of the 20th Century.

Much has been written about J. Edgar Hoover and his life as the creator of the FBI. He managed to keep his private life fairly private, which led to people speculating about what he was really like. I suppose when you go to so much trouble to keep things private then it is more likely people are going to want to know about you.

America seems to always be on the look out for an enemy to scare their citizens and the world with. For most of the 20th century it was communists. And there was no one more determined to stop them than J. Edgar Hoover. He kept numerous files on various people to not only stop the communist movement but to influence those who had control over him. Clint Eastwood has made a fascinating film that looks at this fascinating life. Clint and his writer Dustin Lance Black have managed to give a great deal of dignity to the man considering they could have taken the story in a different direction. We would all love to know about his private homosexual life and the rumours he was a cross-dresser. The film does touch on these issues but in a dignified way. Being the period it is, we understand how and why he could not be more revealing. It is also not afraid to portray J.Edgar in a negative light as far as his career goes too. Like many men of his type he let the power of his position go to his head and therefore take credit for things that maybe he did not do.

Leonardo DiCaprio is certainly a brilliant actor and he really inhabits this role. In some of the pictures I'd seen of J. Edgar I did not think Leo looked the part but he certainly does give a powerful performance that makes it very convincing. Naomi Watts gives a nicely understated performance as J. Edgar's assistant Helen Gandy. She plays it with a great deal of grace as the person who must hold all of J. Edgar's secrets. Armie Hammer is very good as Hoover's partner. He is nicely subdued and not over the top. I did think his old age make-up was not very good though.

Clint Eastwood has a nicely old fashioned approach to film making which suits the story here. It manages to pay respect to this highly influential man and go into all the details of his life.