Howard Hughes as a child and then through what appears to be adulthood. It is hard to tell because DeCaprio looks like a teenager trying to act like an adult.

Rating: 4/10 (1 February 2005)

I was thoroughly disappointed by this very, very long exercise in Leonardo-watching. DeCaprio has never delivered on the promise that he made in the underrated What's Eating Gilbert Grape". A terrific cast is wasted in this tedious and uneven film. How Allen Alda was somehow singled out for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar is completely beyond comprehension. The finest work is done by the always stunning Cate Blanchet. Director Scorsese has done some many great films previously, except of course the horribly miscast, Gangs of New York (perhaps a real brawling tough Irish actor like Colin Farrel might have done the trick as a tough brawling Irish immigrant rather than the rather feminine DeCaprio)so it is particularly unsatisfying to endure this non-epic. Eleven nominations for this laughable inconsistent mess is testimony to the ludicrous nature of the Academy Awards. Avoid this movie and go to The Very Long Engagement instead.