J. Edgar

J. Edgar is a 2011 American biographical drama film based on the career of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. Written by Dustin Lance Black, the film focuses on Hoover's life from the 1919 Palmer Raids onward. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role along with Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Josh Lucas, and Judi Dench, and features Adam Driver in his film debut. J. Edgar opened the AFI Fest 2011 in Los Angeles on November 3, 2011, and had its limited release by Warner Bros. Pictures on November 9, 2011, followed by wide release on November 11. The film received mixed reviews from critics, although DiCaprio's performance was widely praised, and it grossed $84.9 million worldwide. It was chosen by the National Board of Review and American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2011, while DiCaprio earned a nomination for a Golden Globe Award and both he and Hammer earned Screen Actors Guild Award nods (Hammer was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role).