Rating of
3.5/4
Pjillip Seymour Hoffman's best effort. Outstanding
mdtinney - wrote on 10/21/09
An excellent film. Every aspect of this film is masterful. Hoffman's performance as Capote is nothing short of brilliant, and all the supporting actors and actresses do an equally incredible job. The direction and cinematography are also extraordinary, but what I think made the film is the story and screenplay. The storyline, plot and dialogue were Capote's greatest strength. The film, especially the early parts, are dominated with blues and yellows- a technique that greatly contributed to the grim and dark tone of the film. The film moves a little slow for the average moviegoer, but will capture the intrigue of cinephiles. From the stunning imagery, to the camera-work, to the superb acting and the wonderful plot and dialogue, this film captures the ego-maniacal essence of Truman Capote as good as any biographical film is able to catch the essence of it's subject.This film is a tribute to the acting talents of Hoffman, Keener, Cooper and others. It provides an excellent contextual understanding of Capote's complexity and his efforts that culminated in the publishing of a biographical novel. It showcases his keen ability to use others so effectively in his writing efforts. Particularly noteworthy was his ability to empathize, to engage, and to manipulate others to collaborate with him in his artistic effort to create his novel. He also exhibited an amazing memory for detail. Nothing seemed to detract him from his goal of achieving the supreme work of fiction. Capote was relentless in his pursuit to graphically record a terrible murder. I was further drawn to Capote's struggle to accommodate his role as a bystander with prisoner's role as a perpetrator. Capote had an uncanny ability to identify with that criminal's mindset. He used this to his advantage in gathering material for the novel. All of his energies were directed to keeping his subject alive so he could write his book. Capote manipulated the truth with the prisoner whom he befriended in order to obtain cooperation and to produce the final version his story. Was this coverage of a biographical event the source of his ultimate undoing in succumbing to alcoholism? The viewer is left wondering. This is an engaging as well as challenging film.
