Movie Reviews
His life is now the center of a motion picture created by one of the greatest filmmakers ever: the one and only Martin Scorsese. “The Aviator” is his grand, sweeping film that covers the upward march and downward retreat of Hughes in that good ol’ Martin Scorsese way. A filmmaking that is indescribable to those who have not seen any of his pictures, a professionalism that spans over three decades, and an originality that surpasses that of any other genre-based (or previously genre-based) director. He made his name making though-guy or mob films – sometimes those combined quite conveniently. But since about 1998, when he starred Nicolas Cage in “Bringing Out the Dead”, Scorsese made an about face to the mob and started making any film of any genre he wished.
This, to a certain extent, has made him a more useful and acclimated director – someone who can work with a variety of people over a long period of time. And in making “Gangs of New York” in 2002, Scorsese made a partnership that is destined to become as fulfilling as that of Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro. Leonardo DiCaprio is that new generation of Scorsese actors. He’ll be the guy that’s in the next five or six films that Scorsese makes...and that, I now consider to be a very good thing indeed.
When DiCaprio starred in the overly-well-known “Titanic”, I disliked his performance for a number of reasons. However, “Catch Me If You Can” proved that that string of films surrounding “Titanic” was merely a phase for DiCaprio. The performance he gives here is a total transformation from anything he’s done before; something I have not seen from anyone else this year, or are likely to see anytime soon. He pours himself into this character, into his likeable charm, into his hateful greed, into every last possible feature that Hughes held. I’d wager the ranch that if Hughes was alive now, he’d either be uncontrollably appreciative or uncontrollably furious at the portrayal.
But, you know, I can’t imagine any other director making this work. Scorsese understands character films; he has a profound respect for singular performances, and he knows how to take an audience to places we’ve never been and are not likely to go again. He devours that kind of creativity and uses it to format the film he is making into something much more than a mere film. You see, there are directors who, when they make movies, they strive to make a great film. When Scorsese makes a film, he strives to make the best film you’ve ever seen. And his career shows that to be true.
Scorsese is a filmmaker all his own, and I think that this film was meant to be in his hands because like Hughes, Scorsese is also able stun, awe, and sometimes disgust. I wouldn’t have him any other way. ****