The Slabodka alumni, Rabbi Isaac Sher, was known for explaining that Esav and Korach and other evildoers in Scripture were not as obviously evil as is apparent from a plain reading of the text. Their sins consisted of great nuance, and had we met these men ourselves, we would not find anything untoward about them. Only the Torah can, in its high standards, find fault with them by “magnification”.
The Chazon Ish reportedly mocked this Mussar idea by commenting, upon Rabbi Sher’s passing, “Now Esav Hatzaddik and Lavan Hatzaddik will come accompany him to his reward…”