It's entertaining yet something is missing

Rating: 7/10 (7 February 2005)

Although this movie was very entertaining I felt that it was choppy, plodding in places and talky, talky, talky. Further, I feel that a more masculine and rugged actor should have been chosen to play Howard Hughes. Not that DiCaprios acting was bad, it wasn't, in fact it was very good. My opinion is that DiCaprio just isn't manly enough to realistically play Hughes. I thought that DiCaprio was miscast in Gangs of New York as well, but perfectly cast in Catch Me If You Can. Cate Blanchett is very clever as Kate Hepburn and Kate Beckinsale is wonderful as Ava Gardner. Alan Alda is a convincing arch rival and villain as Sen. Owen Brewster and although the flight scenes were fabulous it just wasn't enough. The movie is unquestionably good and cannot and should not be dismissed, but it left me feeling unfulfilled. It was close but just not quite good enough. I was entertained but disappointed. Scorsese has done better.