The Aviator
2004 · Martin Scorsese · 170 min · Drama / Biography
The Aviator is a gorgeous, sprawling portrait of ambition and obsession that gives Leonardo DiCaprio the role that announced his arrival as a serious dramatic actor. Scorsese's recreation of Hollywood's golden age and early aviation history is visually stunning, and DiCaprio's portrayal of Howard Hughes's descent into mental illness is brave and unflinching. The 170-minute runtime stretches some sequences past their natural endpoint, and the supporting characters can't always compete with the spectacle at the center. But as a study of what extraordinary talent costs the person who carries it, the film achieves something truly moving.