Most of the heavy lifting is left to Leonardo DiCaprio and overall, I think he pulls it off (at times, the make up is distracting). The film follows the older Hoover as he shares his story with a biographer. The early days of the FBI are told in flashback. Naturally, the events are told from Hoover's point of view, and as revealed later, some embellishment takes place. No surprise that Hoover is presented as very complex individual. Fear of communism and radicals drove him to build the reputation of the FBI, while the Lindbergh kidnapping and an attempt to end organized crime provided an opportunity to gain acceptance in the public eye. He didn't mind stepping on the toes of others as well as collecting secrets on public figures to use as leverage to maintain power. Of course, Hoover had his own secrets, which he worked to keep hidden.
Clint Eastwood directs with an occasionally halting pace. The story doesn't seem to flow as well as other Eastwood endeavors. Armie Hammer provides a quality performance as Clyde Tolson, Hoover's Assistant Director and constant companion. You can sense the tension between the two men, although a sexual relationship is briefly explored. Naomi Watts plays Helen Gandy, Hoover's secretary, but her character gets pushed to the background. She's a name actress in a nondescript role.
While elements of the story make you more inquisitive about Hoover's life, something is lacking in "J. Edgar" to make it an upper tier biopic.
Rating: 6/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 70
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