Eastwood takes us inside Hoover's rise to power in the 1920s and uses Hoover himself to retell some of the most famous and infamous moments from his 48 year reign as Director of the FBI. The story is told mostly from Hoover's perspective which is a stroke of genius by Eastwood. The audience is taken inside the mind of Hoover to see how he remembers key events in history. This way of storytelling give you the insight into what Hoover thought of himself and is a great way to get to know the man behind the story.
Leonardo DiCaprio brings Hoover to life in a great performance. DiCaprio takes a complex figure from history, who is still shrouded in a certain level of secrecy nearly 40 years after his death, and breaks down the walls to let the audience engage with Hoover. The audience begins to understand the driving forces behind what at times appears to be madness and a desperate struggle for power. DiCaprio gives a extremely powerful yet endearing performance as the man who created the FBI and began many of the common practices used in law enforcement today.
Hoover is a fascinating individual from our history and this film left me only wanting to know more about him and his secrets.
4 out of 5 stars. |
