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.
Comments
75 responses to “‘J. Edgar’ trailer”
Could be great. Looks like a great double feature with THE AVIATOR…funny since Eastwood undeservedly beat that film for Best Picture.
Things noticed while watching the trailer: the make-up, the accent, and the way Leo and Armie look at each other!
I’m not getting anything. When I follow the link, it says the page can’t be found.
Rhett you can also find it on comingsoon.net
Rhett: Follow what link? Apple? It goes right to the page to view the trailer. I don’t have an embed yet.
Looks like shit, Kris.
Good Shepard part 2.
The image and Apple lead to the same ‘page you’re looking for can’t be found’ message. I’ll just wait for the embed.
Hmm. I like Leo, but I’m not sure I’m buying him in this role. Granted, it’s only a trailer. Production value looks great, no surprise there, except maybe for the make up which looks a little over done. I’m a big fan of Clint, so hopefully it adds up for him.
Looks terrific. Can’t wait.
It’s up at ComingSoon.net.
It looks middling – I think maybe Armie Hammer will surprise, but everyone else looks unremarkable.
Gittes: LOL, why address me? I didn’t make it.
Rhett: Not for me. That’s weird.
Also, why is there no score credit at the end of the trailer or on IMDB?
Armie Hammer and bellow the line look great. Not sure about DiCaprio’s accent, but that might be the quick cutting of the trailer.
Rhett the same thing is happening to me, but it’s not just from here every apple link I click on no matter the site does the same thing.
@amanda Same problem. When I search the Apple site, it says they don’t have the trailer at all.
Lucas- Yeah, I would really like to know if the song in the trailer was original or not.
Nice use of that Max Richter song in the trailer.
Not bad at all but I have three issues:
First: Armie Hammer’s first reaction shot looks very silly.
Second: The make-up. It doesn’t look transportative enough to suspense disbelief here. Great work in places but the old age make-up sticks out.
Third: The explosion shot is a bit too cgy. And Eastwood seems to be trying a lot of things here but I’m not sure it’s really him.
Impressions:
-Looks impeccably made.
-Armie Hammer looks like one to look out for (Supporting).
-Ditto Dench.
-Make-Up & Production Design looks great.
-Di Caprio, I don’t know. He looks ‘potentially’ really good. I liked the looks btwn. him & Hammer. The accent does go in & out. Very hard to tell his quality by this trailer.
-Basically, it looks how I expected it to look. Looks like something my-typish. But so hard to tell for now.
Dicaprio as older Hoover looks like John Voight
his accent seems weird
I hope this is kosher, but the trailer works fine at this site: http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/must-watch-first-trailer-for-clint-eastwoods-j-edgar-with-dicaprio/
If linking to that blog is verboten please remove this post. Just trying to be servicey.
I love Leo and all (really, I really really do), but so far I’m not buying this performance. Only a clip of course, but still.
This looks like the kind of project (like Invictus) where everyone concerned seemed think that they were spinning gold but in the end they weren’t.
DiCaprio does not look good, but Dench and Hammer seem like a treat.
The song is “Last Days” by Max Richter from his Memoryhouse album, for those wondering.
Good enough for Best Picture and Best Actor noms, along with some techs. Not looking at a BP winner however. Still, 4 BP nominations in 9 years is very impressive for Eastwood.
Whoops ! I mean “November” not from Memoryhouse, not “Last Days”.
Say hello to your seventh Oscar nomination, Mrs. Dench.
Those getting an error on the Apple site, are you in the states? I wonder if it’s a weird thing like that. Odd.
Anyway, it’s elsewhere, too. I’m just waiting on a clean YouTube embed without another site’s ads and watermark.
Looks like Hoover uses a “normal” accent in private, but uses a different, more heightened accent in public, or in front of his subordinates.
@Parrill- couldn’t agree more… ‘The Aviator’ is one of my favorite Scorsese films (in recent years at least) and hands down DiCaprio’s best work since ‘This Boy’s Life’.
Anyways… OMG OMG OMG OMG the trailer is finally out! I have been waiting for this sucker. First reaction: Wtf is this accent and voice over? I don’t know if I’m buying DiCaprio as J.Edgar. His eyes are so hollow… I get there are contacts in use but it’s a little off-putting. Hammer looks to be having fun with his role, Dench will in typical Dench-fashion brilliant, and Watts is just hanging out… can’t say much just yet. I do like the score, or what little of it can be heard.
Looks good, potentially great. I’m really hoping DiCaprio nails this, but it’s a little hard to tell from this trailer.
Embed up now.
The trailer leaves the story pretty vague, although the film certainly LOOKS stunning. I’m not getting the in & out accent comments. Maybe it has to do with the difference between addressing large crowds and smaller, more personal situations. Hoover certainly created an image of himself drenched in phoniness.
I just hope J. Edgar doesn’t follow typical rise, fall, redemption tropes of typical biopics, although the trailer leaves me a bit worried. Still, with the talent involved, I’m excited.
“Hoover certainly created an image of himself drenched in phoniness.”
This — as another commenter pointed out — could certainly be it.
I’ve hated all late Eastwood output I’ve seen and this looks like more of the same awful.
I’m with Chad, except for Mystic River.
I love u Clint!
Ah, just saw Carson’s comment…
Chad: I doubt that this film will be anything worse than “flat.” Generally, with a great cast and high production values, it’s too easy to call films without energy or innovation “awful” when in reality, they’re just disappointing. It’s like when some commenters throughout different sites called The King’s Speech terrible, especially following its Oscar win. It wasn’t by any stretch terrible, just lacking some originality compared to say The Social Network or Black Swan (I liked all three films). I think the ambiguity of Hoover’s character (I’m being kind) SHOULD, hopefully, allow the film to avoid the preachy elements that may have plagued Invictus.
I will say this, I hope the movie is better than it’s tagline “The most powerful man in the world.”
Sounds like Oliver Stone’s Oliver Stone biopic.
What exactly is his accent (s) suppose to be? I’ve only heard one recording of Hoover… can’t quite gather what the heck you would call it.
Here’s a link to Hoover being interviewed in 1960. He grew up in Washington D.C. and seemed to have a bit of a false Mid-Atlantic accent with a touch of the refined South thrown in. DiCrappio’s accents were spot-on in The Departed, Blood Diamond, and The Aviator, so I’d give him the temporary benefit of the doubt here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtcjMYYbLdc&feature=related
Judi > Armie >> Leo, rated by likely quality of performance
Judi > Leo >> Armie, rated by chance of a nomination
my quick thoughts on the trailer: http://awardsfreak.com/?p=80
As it happens, Hoover had a stutter growing up. His mother had him taught to speak rapidly at least in public to compensate. You don’t get that in the trailer, but it is in the script. Hoover did indeed present a cunning manipulative side of himself in his public life but was decidedly messed up personally. I think, as with all trailers, it is best to see the film before passing judgment. If you see a vid of the actual Hoover speaking and juxtapose it listening to DiCap, the similarity is interesting. Stills of the aforementioned makeup actually look quite convincing to moi, even if not very appealing. You cannot judge a book by it’s cover and the same can easily be said of a trailer which shows no more than bits and pieces of scenes and rarely more than a sentence or two of dialogue. I don’t remember most being that impressed with The Descendents trailer or Moneyball’s but the films evidently are something else entirely.
feels like it’s trying too hard.
the violin track does not fit the era and region.
i’m pretty sure Leo will get dinged with the accent, even if it’s legit. (oh, how I wish Blood Diamond did better in the Oscars).
@Evan- Based on what… a 2 min. trailer? Not fair. Although Hammer’s tantrum is the standout performance in the trailer.
Did anyone else think of ‘The Aviator’ when Dench is talking to J.Edgar Kid-version and says he will “rise to become the most powerful man in the country”? Reminded me of the opening scene in ‘The Aviator”.
It seems we finally have a picture that can lay hands on atleast 10-11 nominations …
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Supporting Actress (could be 2 here)
Best Supporting Actor
Best Original Screenplay
Best Costume Design
Best Make-up
Best Original Score
Best Editing
Could be the King’s Speech of this year … though it’s difficult to tell how many of them will finally J.Edgar win … but it could be anywhere b/w 4-6
Thanks @JesseCrall
Not sure why there’s complaints about the accent. Every line spoken is fairly consistent, the accent is simply a bit stronger in some scenes and subtler in others, which…get this…is how people really talk.
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