Verbally Offensive; Visually Fascinating

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2006)

Except for one major problem (for me), this was a very entertaining and enjoyable three-hour film, and I am usually unable to sit through long movies.
BAD NEWS - If hearing the Lord's name in vain offends you, be prepared to be offended big-time. This movie may break the record for most GDs said in one major studio film with at least 50. Almost all were said by Leonardo DiCaprio, in the lead role as Howard Hughes. A minor disappointment was that the story ended about 1948. I wanted the see the old man Hughes walking around in Kleenex boxes, in his Las Vegas penthouse and perhaps learn more about the big controversy surrounding his will, a topic that was in the news for months yet I can't recall what the final verdict was.
GOOD NEWS - This was very interesting story, start-to-finish. The acting is superb, especially Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn. Blanchett is just riveting in every scene she's in, and DiCaprio, for that matter, isn't far behind. My favorite scene in the film might be when Hughes tells off Hepburn's snotty, elitist parents. Great stuff there. No phase of Hughes' life is overemphasized from his flying, his womanizing, his illness, his business dealings and the politics against him. All are given an appropriate percentage of film time.
This is a very stylish film, a treat for the eyes courtesy a sharp DVD picture and wonderful camera-work. The fascinating visuals include stunning shots of the airplanes, nightclubs, cars, women, you name it. If the language had been toned down, I would have rated this a "10."