J. Edgar: More Dull Than It Needs to Be

Clint Eastwood has done some fine directing work in the last two decades.  I was a big fan of Gran Torino, Flags of Our Fathers, Million Dollar Baby, and The Bridges of Madison County.  This time out he gives us Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI for over four decades.  Hoover was a controversial 20th Century figure who was also rumored to be a cross dressing homosexual, presumably involved with his right-hand man Clyde Tolson.

One of the problems with J. Edgar, the movie, is that it doesn’t venture far enough into either territory.  Hoover’s early involvement with the FBI is intercut with a period late in his life as he wrote his “untold” secret stories about Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.  Much of the 1930s is spent on the Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping investigation.  This slow-paced sequence goes on much longer than needed, becoming exceedingly dull very quickly.  Jumping ahead to the 1960s does not add much excitement either, save for the predictable moment when Hoover finds out Kennedy has been assassinated.  Eastwood could have invested in far more editing during both sequences.  Based on what is presented, we'd have to guess that Hoover's life was pretty dull during the 1940s and 50s.  There are no scenes from these decades prominently featured.

The script, written by the Oscar-winning screenwriter for Milk, Dustin Lance Black, only comes alive once Hoover’s relationship with Tolson, played by Armie Hammer, is explored.  Since Hoover kept this completely on the downlow there’s not even much story to tell here.  Perhaps Black could have researched this aspect of Hoover’s life further for a more interesting narrative.  Then again, a more complete telling of Hoover as head of the FBI might have also worked better than it does.  Black and Eastwood don’t seem to know which direction to really take Hoover’s story.  As such, neither side feels completely revealed.  Even the hint that Hoover was a cross-dresser comes across more as a weird Psycho-like inhabiting of his dead mother than as a serious exploration of his preference for women’s clothing. 

The reason to see this film is DiCaprio.  He definitely nails the part and gives himself wholeheartedly to Hoover.  His make-up is quite shocking to see.  DiCaprio must age decades beyond his 37 years.  It’s beautifully done and DiCaprio completely inhabits Hoover regardless of age.  So far, he has given the  lead male performance of the year and will likely be nominated for his fourth Oscar. 

Armie Hammer is also quite good as Tolson.   Hammer, it may be recalled, played both Winklevoss twins in The Social Network.  Both works definitely show he has range.  Naomi Watts is perfect as Hoover’s secretary Helen Gandy.  I wasn’t as impressed by the make-up on both of these actors though.  It makes them look obviously old and yet their faces seem so painted on that they can barely move. 

In the end, while I liked the second half of the film more than the first, it still doesn’t offer much beyond DiCaprio and the aging effects.  Eastwood and Black don’t tell us enough about Hoover and most of what they do tell is achingly dull.