J. EDGAR Movie Review: THE G-MAN WHO COULDN’T CATCH AN AUDIENCE

For nearly 50 years J. Edgar Hoover was one of the most powerful men in the history of America. He founded the FBI and introduced modern forensic science as we know it today. His accomplishments included: using fingerprints in solving cases, creating a fingerprint database, developed handwriting analysis as a crime fighting tool, training personal in new methods of police work and compiled the first national database of crime statistics.

Hoover’s attack against the American Communist party reduced its membership by over 90%. He established a counter intelligence unit during WWII that effectively dismantled German and Japanese sabotage efforts in America. His criminal investigations led to the arrest of many famous criminals such as Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd. Later on he also worked against subversive groups such as the Black Panthers.

Judi Dench and Leonardo DiCaprio

Inasmuch as Hoover was the great anti-crime archetype, he was also an arrogant, tyrannical, egotistical self-promoter who abused his power and complied secret files on the Washington power elite, including eight presidents (from Calvin Coolidge to Nixon). He fired Melvin Purvis (the agent who shot Dillinger) because he was jealous of the media attention given him. To say Hoover was a racist is an understatement; he led an aggressive campaign against Martin Luther King Jr.

By all accounts, you would think Hoover’s story would be fuel for a fascinating movie, and it COULD HAVE BEEN! However the director (Clint Eastwood) preferred to tease us with interesting bits and pieces and then suddenly let us down by focusing on Hoover’s personal life.

Clint Eastwood

Hoover was featured as a homosexual and transvestite – that has always been the rumor but there was never any proof. Irregardless, if he was straight or gay, the film should have focused on his exciting and tumultuous professional career, that’s where the real story was. But then again, Eastwood was never known for any directorial knockouts.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer

The movie is handled though flashbacks as Hoover (Leonardo Dicaprio) narrates his story to his biographer. There are constant flashbacks but they are not consistent, it takes a minute or two to get your bearings as to what time period you’re in. The acting is good overall. Dicaprio does a great job with an inadequate script, as does Naomi Watts, as his secretary and Judi Dench as his mother. Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) his private secretary and lover wasn’t well developed at all and his part just dragged on, and on and on!

Naomi Watts

Besides the inadequate direction the other thing that was bothersome was the heavy makeup. It was way overdone to the point that it distracted you from the story. It looked more like a mask, not makeup. If you were expecting a great story about a powerful and controversial political figure look elsewhere, the personal side that was prominently featured slowed down the pace of this movie which otherwise could have been a blockbuster.

Cinema Connoisseur WR Mann

WR Mann At Machu Picchu Peru

WR MANN is a Brand Strategist and also the head of www.realfighting.com where he teaches reality self-defense as well as stage combat for the theater and movies internationally.