Review of J. Edgar (2011) by Scifi M — 04 Jul 2012

I love how Clint Eastwood makes epic historical dramas about events or people that were important in his lifetime. Unfortunately he doesn't quite get the job done here. The story of J. Edgar Hoover is an extremely important one that most people under the age of 30 have no idea about at all.

So, if anything, Eastwood gets credit for taking on the topic and bringing it to the public consciousness. However, being that Hoover's life is generally well documented, we know how this story begins and ends.

Therefore it's up to the director to bring something fresh and provocative to the tale while staying historically accurate. Unfortunately "the man with no name" does not get it done. It's well shot and well acted but doesn't amount to much more than a forgettable period piece to me.