Superb!

Rating: 9/10 (10 April 2005)

In this fantastic drama about the life of the great Howard Hughes, Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the part of the great Aviator and boy does he give a good performance. The film starts off with Howard at about 10 being bathed down by his mother. She tells him about how he could very easily be killed by horrible diseases.
Suddenly we move to 1927. Howard has inherited his father's small fortune, and has begun making Hollywood films. The first shown here being 'Hells Angels.' From here on in it is the tense and thrilling life of Howard Hughes. Howard starts by dating a range of wealthy and beautiful women, from Katherine Hepburn to Ava Gardner.
During the next twenty years that the film portrays, Hughes becomes very paranoid, and starts remembering all of the things his mother used to tell him. He closes himself off from anyone and just sits naked all day, watching films.
Eventually, with the big trial against him for supposed fraud Hughes shows what he is made of, and walks out of the courthouse clean and ready to live his life.
Some people may remember the Spruce Goose (one of Hughes' WWII creations), he proved it could fly the week after his court-case. It flew only once and flew over a distance of one mile.
This is an amazing portrayal of the downfall of a paranoid schizophrenic, who (on his uprise) proved he could do anything.
One of the best films I've seen all year (including the end of 2004) and the certainly one of my favourite Matrin Scorsese films.
5 out of 5. 9 out of 10.