tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7047872200068694467.post3457920320750582420..comments2024-02-10T06:19:58.016-05:00Comments on Petrified Fountain of Thought: Review: J. EdgarStephenMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16588260639227694557noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7047872200068694467.post-3218925839888001472011-11-15T22:31:45.020-05:002011-11-15T22:31:45.020-05:00Well, thanks Sam. I'm not convinced history t...Well, thanks Sam. I'm not convinced history tells us the romance is that much more intense, but I'm no expert, and whatever history says the film served it poorly. DiCaprio was pretty decent--certainly he's gotten past his unbelievable boy-playing-a-man stage--though I'm not sure I could really praise it too much. He just spends too much time reciting events to be really interesting. He did do a good job of spewing hateful things and not making the character into a completely hateful villain.StephenMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16588260639227694557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7047872200068694467.post-30918908545271792102011-11-15T17:29:02.483-05:002011-11-15T17:29:02.483-05:00Stephen, this is a tremendous piece on what is und...Stephen, this is a tremendous piece on what is undeniably a very disappointing film. Mind you, Eastwood has been losing it the last several times out, but here he has lost focus, narrative cohesion and any sense of what might lie beneath the surface as far as Hoover the Man is concerned. The film is hopelessly episodic, and even the most important event in the FBI's director's career-the Lindberg kidnapping- lacks any kind of compelling transcription. The makeup is indeed ghastly, and the romance is handled way too conservatively. History appears to tell us otherwise. The music too is tiresome, as Eastwood has really exhausted all possibilities in that department. Di Caprio survives the debacle though, and as always the period and production design are impressive.<br /><br />Again, superlative work here!Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com