1 Time Film Excess Award Winner:
Best Make-up and Hair: Alessandro Bertolazzi, Kathryn Blondell, Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Tania McComas, Carol A. O'Connell
3 Time Film Excess Nominee:
Best Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black (lost to Rory Stewart Kinnear, Lynne Ramsay for We Need to Talk About Kevin)
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (lost to Jack Black for Bernie)
Best Make-up and Hair: Alessandro Bertolazzi, Kathryn Blondell, Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Tania McComas, Carol A. O'Connell (won)
+ Best Biopic of the Year
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| Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular intelligence hawk, Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar |
QUICK REVIEW:
Presented with jumps in time of several decades, some of the most important cases and periods that define FBI founder and chief through 48 years, J. Edgar Hoover is portrayed.
Contrary to the unbalanced opinions of many, regular audiences and critics alike, (perhaps due to the politically controversial figure that is the subject here), J. Edgar is actually a mighty fine film, master filmmaker Clint Eastwood's best since Gran Torino (2008).
Dustin Lance Black's (Milk (2008)) sensitive script covers the Lindbergh-baby kidnapping, the G-Men PR of the 1930s, Hoover during Roosevelt's presidency and his de facto power over them through various extortions, through to Nixon and Martin Luther King, - and to Hoover's life-long confidant - and secret love of his life - Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer (The Lone Ranger (2013))). It is all presented in superiorly controlled fashion, soberly, and phenomenally played by Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)) in the imposing title role.
J. Edgar is both moving and an important piece of historical drama about one of the most powerful men of the 20th century.
Related posts:
Clint Eastwood: American Sniper (2014) - Eastwood conveys an American man and myth in electric masterpiece
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess
The Changeling (2008) or, The Christine Collins Story
The Dead Pool (1988) - The highly entertaining last Dirty Harry movie (actor)
City Heat (1984) - Eastwood and Reynolds wrestle dispassionately in Benjamin's messy period affair (actor)
Tightrope (1984) - An undervalued Clint Eastwood sex killer thriller (actor)
Any Which Way You Can (1980) or, More Monkey Business! (actor)
The Beguiled (1971) - Intense, erotic Civil War kammerspiel thriller (actor)
Dirty Harry (1971) - Eastwood's great, signature renegade cop character comes to life (actor)
Coogan's Bluff (1968) or, Dopes and Hippies, Beat It! (actor)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) or, Killer in a Poncho (actor)
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| Leonardo DiCaprio, impressively, also remains believable as Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar in his latter years |
Watch the trailer for the movie here
Cost: 35 mil. $
Box office: 84.6 mil. $
= Minor flop
[J. Edgar nearly made the financial cut theatrically, and probably earned a small profit with video and TV exploitation. DiCaprio was Globe-nominated for his acting in it. It opened with a 11.2 mil. $ opening weekend and grossed 37.3 mil. $ (44 % of the total gross) in North America. Though derided by several dubious critics, J. Edgar also has other fans besides Film Excess: Like Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter, David Denby of The New Yorker and Roger Ebert, who gave it 3½ stars out of four (equal to my 5 hearts.)]
What do you think of J. Edgar?
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