Overrated...though that doesn't mean it's bad

Rating: 6/10 (10 March 2006)

I personally clapped when Million Dollar Baby (a masterpiece) defeated the favorite (this movie) at the 77th Oscars. First of all, Scorsese's film is extremely long. After the first two hours you start to become bored and tired and lose interest in the movie. The film tries to cover too many aspects of the life of Howard Hughes.
Definitely the best thing about The Aviator are the performances. DiCaprio has been equally loved and hated with this performance. Yes, he overacts in 70% of the film, but he is playing Howard Hughes, an overacting man himself. Alda also gives us a magnificent and sober performance as the Sentaor that tries to "defeat" Hughes. But definitely Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn steals the movie. She is simply MAGNIFICENT in her role as one of the greatest actress ever.
Something else that truly saves the movie is the whole production design. It is simply perfect. The cinematography and art direction are very good.
Now, on to the disapproving bit. The screenplay makes us enter Hughes's mind so deeply that not even in the three hours of film you are able to exit it throughly and close the doors that the film opens. This doesn't have anything to do with the "open ending" the film has which is not entirely accurate.
This film reminds me of "A Beautiful Mind", not only because it is a biopic of an schizophrenic genius but because they are both highly overrated. This doesn't mean any of the two films are bad, just that they didn't fulfill the expectations both critics and audience had.