Million Dollar Baby's got NOTHING on This!

Rating: 8/10 (3 March 2007)

This is a great film. Don't be put off by the long running time. It flies by and is over before you know it. It really leaves you wanting more. Despite the fact that I often call him Decrapio, Leo really shows that he's a very capable, even (gasp) good actor. He really brings out Hughes' personality (whether this movie is an accurate portrayal of Hughes or not, I don't know nor do I care) from his start in the film business with hints of odd behavior to his aviation skills to his descent into paranoia and OCD. I daresay that this is Scorsese's best-looking film. The crash sequence is simultaneously beautiful and deeply disturbing. It gets a little artsy here and there but overall it's breathtaking. It loses points for two things. First, I never felt much sympathy for Hughes for most of the film, except for the end, where his disease overtakes him. I don't know if this is the fault of the character, the script, or the actor, but I felt an odd detachment throughout this film. The other is Cate Blanchett's role as Hepburn. It struck me as more of a parody of her than a portrayal. But this should not stop anyone from watching this film. It's not a classic, but it's still a great and memorable film.