Capote
In November, 1959, the shocking murder of a smalltown Kansas family captures the imagination of Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman), famed author of Breakfast at Tiffany's.
With his childhood friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), writer of the soon-to-be published To Kill a Mockingbird, Capote sets out to investigate, winning over the locals despite his flamboyant appearance and style. When he forms a bond with the killers and their execution date nears, the writing of In Cold Blood, a book that will change the course of American Literature, takes a drastic toll on Capote, changing him in ways he never imagined.
Stellar performances from Hoffman and Keener, as well as Academy Award winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation) are why critics are calling Capote a "must-see movie."
Member Reviews
I thought this was not bad - Silverthorn
It was a good job to play Truman Capote and the acting was very well done. It was more of a slow film, and if you like dramas, you may want to check out this film. I felt that it wasn't as good as it could have been though, but that is my opinion.
I think you can skip this film, although it is critically acclaimed.excellent - Sock_Monkey
Phillip Seymour Hoffman can do anything - from a waster in Twister to a priest in Doubt. What a talented actor.
He is superb in this terrific film. It is interesting to watch and you really get a feeling for Capote's mannersims and internal conflicts. Apparently his whole life when downhill fast after he wrote In Cold Blood and you can understand why after watching this.An excellent look into the minds of a brilliant writer and a cold blooded killer - ****1/2 stars - Lone_Wolf
Leading the film is Philip Seymour Hoffman, a long time character actor who is only just now being recognized with a major lead role, one which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor – and he deserves it. His portrayal of Truman Capote was a dangerous one to undertake as there was a very thin line between being authentic and being a parody. However, Hoffman nails the role and is just about as authentic as it gets. From the gestures to the voice to the way he carries himself, Hoffman did a fantastic job of being Truman Capote. His performance was seamless enough that it is almost as if he really didn’t even act, but rather simply became Capote while on character.
A performance is meaningless with out a strong script, however. Fortunately for Mr. Hoffman, the script is terrifically written, and has quite a genius twist to it – instead of just being about Truman Capote, it is about Truman Capote and his relationship with a killer and his struggle to write In Cold Blood. Because the movie is set-up this way, it doesn’t jump around his life with little focus as many bio-pics do. I loved how in the movie Truman was always so dedicated yet so tortured to the creation of the book. I adored the scenes and dialogue between Capote and Perry Smith, and some of the scenes such as the execution, when combined with the exceptional performances, were shockingly effective. The subtle themes and obstacles Truman runs into are woven together very well into the fabric of everything, and the results of Truman’s decisions become painfully clear as the movie moves forward. Much kudos to the script, which I believe deserved an Oscar nomination.
All of these first rate performances, a powerful script, and the strong supporting direction and photography amount to what is one of 2005s best films. The exacting look at Truman Capote, his struggle with In Cold Blood, and the relationship with Perry Smith is all, simply put, brilliant.
Member Reviews
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I thought this was not bad - Silverthorn
It was a good job to play Truman Capote and the acting was very well done. It was more of a slow film, and if you like dramas, you may want to check out this film. I felt that it wasn't as good as it could have been though, but that is my opinion.
I ...excellent - Sock_Monkey
Phillip Seymour Hoffman can do anything - from a waster in Twister to a priest in Doubt. What a talented actor.
He is superb in this terrific film. It is interesting to watch and you really get a feeling for Capote's mannersims and internal conflicts. ...An excellent look into the minds of a brilliant writer and a cold blooded killer - ****1/2 stars - Lone_Wolf
Leading the film is Philip Seymour Hoffman, a long time character actor who is only just now being recognized with a major lead role, one which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor – and he deserves it. His portrayal of Truman Capote was a dangerous one ...