Disregard the bashing

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2005)

I have to say I completely disagree with almost everything Yessdanc, for one, felt about this movie; I barely hesitate to say he/she seemed to want to find problems in the performances. I think Leonardo DiCaprio is great in general, but I honestly didn't expect to be as impressed by him (in this film) as the awards voters have been. However, his performance was absolutely fantastic. Howard Hughes was an amazingly complex individual, and DiCaprio made his every eccentric move plausible and real. He studied Hughes well and got amazing depth into his psyche. The accolades are deserved. As for Cate Blanchett seeming like a caricature, maybe -- but only in the sense that Katharine Hepburn herself was kind of like a caricature. Again, the performance was over-the-top only in a way that resembled Hepburn's constantly over-the-top personality. Many actresses would have to cower in shame trying to imitate the late, great Hepburn, but Blanchett did it naturally and without apology. Kudos to her as well. As for the film in general, it's wonderful. At 2 hours and some 40 minutes, it might lag for some, but the material is deep and true, while the acting and directing are heartfelt and energetic. It's a story well told, and it might even get you looking up a little history after the credits.