J. Edgar

He was the first director of the FBI. He was the face of law enforcement for most of the 20th century. He had a bit of stuff on the side.

That was J. Edgar Hoover, and this is his movie, which is called J. Edgar.

In the latest Clint Eastwood picture, Leonardo DiCaprio is the famed lawman. On one hand, we see Hoover rise up from a lowly agent to the head of a gradually powerful organization. On another, old Hoover reflects on his life and sees history unfold in the sixties. In between, we see him relate to his secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), his number two man both professionally and personally.

Yes, J. Edgar Hoover kept secrets on everybody, yet had secrets of his own.

Clint and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) have created an interesting, yet flawed story. Its most interesting aspect was how it showed Hoover's early history unfold. Yet, it leaps through time somewhat too quickly in both directions. And then there's the ending, or the few non-endings before the real thing. Still, seeing the history on screen makes both of those flaws seem minor.

The film's makeup effects are incredible due to how they render DiCaprio, Watts and especially Hammer unrecognizable. Also on the crew is cinematographer Tom Stern, who makes the film appropriately grey. Along with James Murakami's production design, these elements should get awards attention even if the top people don't.

As the lawman, DiCaprio perfectly plays Hoover as a well-intentioned, and sometimes petty extremist. His fellow leads also stand out especially when they're underneath the aforementioned aging makeup. Amongst the supporting cast, the best performance belongs to Judi Dench as Edgar's domineering mother.

It doesn't glamorize its subject; Tolson even calls out Hoover for doing that for himself in one scene. Naturally, it also doesn't villainize him. Whatever opinion you have of the man should be your own. That, I think, is the ultimate appeal of J. Edgar, a film we'll be hearing from for a few more months..