Andrew Warne investigates J. EDGAR, a biopic about the first Head of the FBI - J. Edgar Hoover.

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays this intriguing man under the precise direction of Clint Eastwood. And even though it doesn't paint a necessarily pretty picture of Hoover (or of an aging Leonardo!) it is a fascinating, and slightly unsettling, insight into the power and corruption that is prevalent in these official institutions.
But despite this Hoover did leave a remarkable legacy, that of the FBI. He dedicated 50 years of his life to setting up the Bureau and developed many of the investigative techinques and forensic practices that we take for granted today, including finger printing.   

Leonardo DiCaprio talks of lure of playing a man who spent his whole life infiltrating the lives of others while protecting the privacy of his own, with rumours of his questioned sexuality with his 'number two man' Clyde Tolson. Even though there was never any proof of their relationship, the film is unambigious about what its preference is.

Once again DiCaprio fully inhabits this character and woes Andrew with his knowledge of both Hoover and American political history. Armie Hammer, who played (both) twins in 'The Social Network' backs him up with an equally superb performance as Tolson, as does Australia's Naomie Watts who plays Hoover's personal assistant Helen Gandy.

Watts marvels at the loyalty of this woman, who was Hoover's secretary until the day he died, shredding  files, turning a blind eye and keeping all his wrong doings underwraps. Even 5 years following Hoover's death, when she had nothing to lose or lives to destroy, her testimony still (incorrectly) claimed nothing unethical took place in the offices of J. Edgar Hoover. 

If you can get past the questionable make up of all three actors aging into their twilight years, this really is a very interesting observation of one of America's most powerful lawmen.   

Andrew Warne finds a YOUNG ADULT in Charlize Theron. He also finds a refreshingly unHollywood-ised comedy from the writing / directing team of JUNO, Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman, who seemed to have ironically delivered their most grown up film to date. Be warned, there's no warm fuzzy ending to this film, nor a lead protagonist who redeems herself in any way.

Charlize Theron gives a tour de force performance, that has already won her a Golden Globe Award, as Mavis - a slightly delusional minor celebrity writer who wakes up to discover her life isn't as amazing as she may have thought and that her small town high school sweetheart may just be the answer to getting her life back on track. So she hits the road to rekindle the romance with the ex, played by Patrick Wilson, who is now happily married with a newborn child. Astoundingly this is of no concern or relevance to Mavis, and is the first of many cringe-worthy moments the film serves up.

Andrew chats to Charlize about playing a character that, quite frankly, is rather hard to like, who in Charlize's words is just 'erk'. Yet it was a character she was thrilled to play, not only to work with director Jason Reitman ('Up in the Air', 'Juno', 'Thank You for Smoking'), who confesses that he loves unlikeable people and that Mavis is his most fully developed and interesting character that he has directed to date.

Andrew then chats with writer Diablo Cody who tells how she was more surprised than most, that her script was adapted to film and that an actor of Charlize Theron's star quality would then bring it to life.

Another stand out performance is from stand up comedian Patton Oswalt, who explains how his comedic talents helped him inhabit his rather down and out character.  

For those who like their film raw and ready, YOUNG ADULT is a must see.