Directed by Clint Eastwood 
Imdb Link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1616195/

Do I kill everything that I love ?


I had no idea about who J.Edgar was, so this film was more like a history lesson I was taking. Only thing I expected was, the history would be shown with a good engaging screenplay, which wasn't the case!

The story is about J.Edgar rise to fame in FBI, and the truths associated with his rise, the arrests that he never does, and his personal life that is always kept secret.

Leonardo Di Caprio portrays J.Edgar quite well, except for the accent he has that reminds me of his old performances at times. Especially the sequences when he has a well established bureau of his own. The make up is really bad for the old life portrayal of J.Edgar as well as Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). I didn't like Armie much in totality, the same guy who was effective as Winklevoss in Social Network.

The film begins with Edgar asking the typist to write on his life, as he narrates everything. The whole story henceby, we view are from Edgar's point of view. The problem arises that we never get too involved into the main plot, instead what catches our eye is the relationship between Edgar & Tolson, and Edgar & his mother. The screenplay uses too many flashbacks and coming back to present, disturbing the effect a particular sequence was having. For instance, the kidnapping of a child plot starts on a good note, but when its given a break and later we see the case solved... it makes more or less no impact.

Few sequences worth mentioning are, Edgar taking Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) for a date at a library and proposing her with a sudden kiss, which he declines. Its probably the only time where we see Edgar having such interest in girls. Then, the scene where Edgar and Tolson get into a fight resulting in a kiss by Tolson. And, the one where truth of Edgar is revealed. Also, the scene where the problem in speech for Edgar arises again due to his inability to dance with womean, and his mother asks him to stand in front of mirror and then speak lines.

Some questions are left unanswered, like was Edgar homosexual ? Why he used to not go for arrests himself, why he used to be so confused, and away from facts ? Edgar always found himself incomplete, just like that painting he always sees while going to visit President at his place. He never accepted Tolson completely, even though he always admitted that he can't manage his life without his support with him all the time. He made Gandy his forever secretary, whom he proposed once.. and she was just so loyal to him all the time.


Overall, J.Edgar is a decent watch, its a film that could had been much better with a better narrative that emphasized more on Edgar's professional rise, highs and lows.. Still, for Leonardo performance its a watchable film, though nothing award worthy...