It really is very good

I like Clint Eastwood's work as a director more than I ever did the movies he starred in. Likewise I think Leonardo di Caprio is the real deal, a serious actor with loads of charisma. Then there's the tension of their personal lives -- Eastwood is a conservative and Leo is liberal. So I was eager to see their collaboration, and what they did was J. Edgar.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie portrays Hoover as a twisted patriot, a man of grand vision and amazing pettiness. He had no social skills but was capable of deep love and loyalty. He had great passion but was unable to act on it. It's all on display here.

While the movie doesn't whitewash Hoover's legacy, the director is portrayed as a sympathetic character because of Leo's commitment. He's thrown himself into this part completely and he takes us along.