J. Edgar de Clint Eastwood : 5/10
The film explores the public and private life of one of the most powerful, controversial and enigmatic figures of the 20th century, J. Edgar Hoover. The embodiment of law enforcement in America for nearly fifty years, J. Edgar Hoover was both feared and admired, reviled and revered. But, behind closed doors, he hid secrets that could have ruined his image, his career and his life.
I'm a pretty good audience for biopics, I like them and I'm pretty forgiving with them. I think my rating also benefited from the sympathy of Clint and Leo.
Yes but. The film is pre-cut, without subtlety, and too academic. Clint gives us a nice 4th grade presentation, he kindly recites the life of J. Edgar for 2 hours, but doesn't dig into anything. And yet, given the man,it could have been really interesting, whether on questions of sexual identity for a man in this position at that time, on the creation and development of the FBI (by really digging, not by showing a guy sniffing wood for 20 minutes) or on American paranoia...
I find it really unfortunate that Eastwood dwelled so much on the relationship between J. E. Hoover and Clide Tolson when there was so much else to say about one of the most powerful men in US history! I also find the construction of the film, which is based on a lot of flashbacks, a little shaky, despite some nice connections (Hoover enters an elevator in the 60s and comes out in the 30s, for example).
DiCaprio, Naomi Watts and Judi Dench are very good, but Armie Hammer was just standing there in my opinion. In terms of production, it's quite "neutral", that is to say not particularly bad, but there was nothing remarkable. No particular plans, beautiful colors and beautiful settings, but nothing more. And could we talk about the makeup? Seriously ? On Hoover or Helen Gandy it's still just about okay, but it looks like Clide has just been covered in pie!
And the music! I vote for banning the "choir" function of synths. The use of such easy effects, added to a few piano notes to clearly mark the emotional moments, is level 0 of subtlety. I think that's what annoyed me the most in the film actually.
