One of the great unknowns of the season (as I’ll get into momentarily with today’s Off the Carpet column) is Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar.” Well today, we finally get a glimpse of the film via the trailer at Apple. The first thing of note, naturally, is Leonardo DiCaprio’s accent, which seems to come in and out in just these few minutes. Also notable is the makeup, which I’ve been saying for a while will be transformative and most certainly something to watch for in that race. Finally, I’ve been hearing that Judi Dench gives the supporting performance to watch for, and that seems evident here. Check out the trailer by clicking on the image below or watch an embed after the jump.
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75 responses to “‘J. Edgar’ trailer”
If Leo would just get in there and really commit to shaving off his Widow’s Peak; and I don’t mean just take it back a little, but really make it disappear, not only would he be much more convincing in biopics, he’d be grabbing a second Oscar with this picture. But no, you have no Oscars Leo… and I blame your Widow’s Peak.
what accent did J. Edgar Hoover have? I didn’t know people in Washington, D.C. had specific accents
Dana- Yeah, based on the trailer. That’s what trailers are for– show you a bit of the movie and see what you think/if you’re interested…
It’s not some scientific fact; I’m just stating my opinion of what’s likely to happen.
Hmm, looks interesting. I haven’t loved anything by Eastwood since Letters From Iwo Jima came out 5 or 6 years ago, so hopefully this is good.
@Gautam ~ Surely you jest.
This looks abominable, and I hate it already, and in addition anyone honestly looking forward to it. HOW COULD YOU NOT THINK IT LOOKS LIKE SHIT? seriously I just do not comprehend this. Di Caprio as Hoover is hilariously wrong.
Now we know why Theron dropped out. But Watts obviously wants to work with great directors so I understand why she took the part.
@Shark: How could I not think it looks like shit?
Perhaps because both DiCaprio and Eastwood are two of the most talented men Hollywood has ever produced. Perhaps because the film looks visually spectacular. Perhaps because calling a thrice Oscar nominated actor “hilariously wrong” for a part based on a two minute trailer is dangerously presumptuous. And perhaps because I retain the hope that a film with an original script and no seeming intention of being franchised might possess shreds of originality and vibrance that keeps my love of movies alive.
DiCaprio’s accent has its inconsistencies… I appreciate Hammer’s acting the most, though I felt Dench’s parts as well…
Production Design and Cinematography are great! I’m glad Eastwood sticked with his ‘Changeling’ production team with this period drama…
I also notice that the music that was used fits the trailer… Could it be that Eastwood himself is the one doing the Musical score for this?
Over all, I like it compared to ‘Invictus’ and ‘Hereafter’ trailers…
@ AnnaZed
No .. I am not joking ..
last year after seeing the 1st trailer I had predicted 10-11 noms for it … and finally it did happen …
Here too .. with J.Edgar .. certain noms are blinders .. apart from the main categories … Costume Design, Make-Up, Editing … or even cinematography looks certain …
I have no doubt in my mind … it’s going to get 10-12 noms … how many it finally wins will depend whether the movie is gud or great !! It will not like to fall into “Curious case of Benjamin” zone though …
* correction
1st trailer of King’s Speech
I’m reluctant to make assumptions based on trailers but I’m not impressed at all, with Leo’s performance or this preview.
It’s so blatantly baiting for Oscar nominations, and the scenes of Leo are incredibly underwhelming.
Kris you have DiCaprio at the top of you actors list, I think he may need to be knocked down a few pegs, but thats just me.
Though I’m looking forward to the film, and while I can see a gushfest of nominations 10-12 … so, too, can I see onl6 5-6 if the film really misses the mark (think ‘Nine’).
In that case, I’m assuming Leo gets in (cause he’s Leo as Hoover), and maybe another acting (mayyyybe). Then there’s possible CIN, Art D, Make-Up, etc.. But again, if it gets ripped a new one in the reviews … only 5-6.
I’m assuming it’ll be good or great, though; hence the 10-12 ceiling.
@ Gautam
“It seems we finally have a picture that can lay hands on atleast 10-11 nominations …”
You forgot about The Artist, which has looked like a double digit nomination threat since Cannes.
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Screenplay
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Score
Solid 10 nominations. Supporting Actress, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing could happen as well.
Also, War Horse should hover around the 9-11 nomination mark.
This won`t win s*** and I`m a Leo and Armie fan. Just Oscarbait 101. Leo will have to wait for BSA in Django cause that category loves to award villains.
IMO, since TIFF failed to short-list front-runners (cause they are all boring) , GWTDT is going to be the story. Sure-fire hit. Fincher considered robbed last year. Naked Rooney Mara. No-miss. I mean, is there anything buzz-worthy out there except it? This sure as hell ain`t.
It is ridiculously presumptuous to assume a performance isn’t great based on a trailer alone. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Clooney and Pitt are both in for a bit of trouble.
@ Loyal
I feel The Artist may garner a number of nominations but might not reach double digit … specially since it’s a French film it will depend on how whole heatedly the academy members embrace it ..
With War Horse .. since the main character is a horse … and hence tht means we are not looking at any acting noms … {may be a supporting .. but tht too seems far fetched} … but ya Best Film, Director and some technical noms are up for grabs … will end up with less than double digit figure …
Somewhr I feel .. J.Edgar inspite of garnering multiple noms may not win many … by looks of it it does seem to be a great movie but not a knock out movie that goes on to win 7-8 awards !!
Where is all this love for Hammer coming from? We don’t even see him act much in this trailer. I’m sure his performance will be great, but I’m not gushing over it yet. He might not even have that big a role.
Looks pretty old-fashioned and boring to me. I don’t predict it for a Best Picture nod, since I don’t see it getting that kind of support or love. The make-up also looks quite distractive and that’s never a good thing.
Right now, I predict it only for Actor and Supporting Actress (Dench) nods. Art Direction is also a possibility. But I don’t believe it will win anything.
@Gautam ~ Well, I simply can’t agree with you on this so far (of course, only based on a trailer so caveat emptor). For one thing that aging make up is very distracting and I can form an opinion on that based on a trailer and call foul. Furthermore I think that make-up could drag the entire enterprise down ~ acting, best picture ~ everything.
Good trailer, the production value looks amazing and Dench and Hammer are potentially great, but i’m not so sure about DiCaprio. BTW, The Aviator is such a mess, empty and portentous. DiCaprio, never before or later so overacting, and his makeup make me laugh.
It looks awfully boring…and as for DiCaprio and Eastwood being “two of the most talented men Hollywood has ever produced”? Not even close. I respect Eastwood as an actor, but his directorial efforts, visually and thematically, are all the same, and DiCaprio is good but certainly not the best…hell, Billy Zane was better than Leo in Titanic!
Watched the trailer again this afternoon and I liked it much better. Still just a trailer though. I don’t think it looks boring at all, btw. I think we’ll see an interesting backstory to Hoover’s life and I also think it will flash back and forth with other historical events as well as Hoover’s known proclivities for spying and gathering unsavory dossiers on big people. I have to differ with the guy who thought DiCaprio’s makeup in The Aviator was a mess. I thought he was at his most convincing as the aging Hughes and he seems to have the moves down as old Hoover, breathlessness and all. The congressional hearing scene in Aviator was one of his best, imo.
Waiting for the exit. Everything about the film J. Edgar can be found on this site.
The site of the film “J. Edgar”
Trailers, photos, news, reviews, soundtracks and more.
Although Hoover´s sexual foibles have been well chronicled, I have seen nothing in the reviews of this film about claims made in previous biographies that Hoover was of mixed race.
There seem to be reasonable grounds for believing that he had black forebears and was so ashamed of it that he was hostile to the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King in particular.
Hoover as a black homosexual may sound like something from the National Inquirer but it may well be true.