answers the answers not the questions

Rating: 7/10 (16 December 2004)

** Spoilers... a few..***
I saw this movie tonight at the first light festival on Maui, and have been compelled for the first time to write a review because, the one already here sucks. It's a fine movie. The main problems with it is that it doesn't really tell the whole story of Hughes. It starts with a very odd scene that is supposed to epitomize his entire childhood. Then immediately jumps into him having millions of dollars from oil... but how!? And what about his Mother and Family?
Then it goes into a very good depiction of Hughes the director, wasting his money for a childhood dream, all done exceptionally. Then comes the over-hyped scene with Gwen Stefani which, sorry to disappoint is about five seconds long, exactly two seconds longer than the Jude Law Cameo. Which is what they are=cameos. The whole twenties thing is done very well, with Hughes retreating to the Cocoanauts club about four times.
Then the pilot thing hinted at in "Hell's Angels" is kicked into overdrive, eventually leading to Hugh's manic descent into Hypocondria. Yes, you do feel for Hughes, but any hint as to where the dementia comes from is totally missed from the ever seeing eye of Mr. Martin.
Cate Blanchett is... overacting. Sorry, love Veronica Guerin but Cate playing Cate is too much. YOu could see the audience shift as she talked. Leo is great as Hughes but like nearly every movie he's been in, you can never shake the leo persona, no one in the twenties stayed that young looking as long as Hugh's does in this movie.
I hope your not looking for a tell all of Hugh's cause, cause Mr.Martin for all his talk of trying not to focus on Hughes' problem, does that for about a fourth of it, then leaves you on an aggravating cliff hanger after the successful launch of The Goliath, preceding a court room scene about the buyout of Hugh's line by Pan Am, which is just as good as any you've seen.
Good movie, that suffers from too much impression by the people who worked on it. It's like your supposed to do research on Howard Hugh's before ever stepping foot in the theatre, if you want to truly enjoy the Aviator. Q-U-A-R-I-N-T-I-N-E.