Hoffman and Miller Give Dimension to Capote Posted by: Kim Lance, Editor

I went into the theater to see Capote admittedly not knowing too much about the topic of this biopic. All I knew was that the film was about what Truman Capote went through while writing his highly acclaimed non-fiction novel In Cold Blood. By the time the ending credits began rolling, I felt like I had been given the gift of stepping back in time and, incidentally, I added yet another line to my already lengthy list of reasons why I believe Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the most talented actors of our time.

The film details the murder of a Kansas family and author Truman Capote’s search for the complete story behind those murders. What started out as a short article in the New Yorker, developed into a full true-story novel. Capote delved deeper into the minds of the two murderers as he formed intimate connections with them through post-conviction interviews in attempts to finish his book.

From the intense opening scenes all the way to the final dramatic ending, the audience, including myself, seemed enthralled in the development of this story line. The filmmakers and actors were able to blend just the right amount of intensity and emotion to keep viewers interested in a story that many already knew from the book and previous films, walking away from the theater with a new perspective on the life of Truman Capote.

The film did drag in a couple of spots, but nothing that would distract from the story. In fact, if I had to find the biggest flaw in this film, it would be that it didn’t tell more of the interesting story of Truman Capote. I have found that Capote led a very interesting childhood and early career, and I would have loved if the film touched a bit more about that. But, as the focus of the film was the development of his masterpiece novel, lack of back-story doesn’t take away from the impact of the film.

The style and vision of director Bennet Miller flows perfectly with the time period he is trying to recreate – the late 50s / early 60s. He was able to successfully give audiences two very different experiences – on the one hand, audiences are allowed a peek into the self-involved, privileged life of intellectuals in New York and the authors haven in Spain and, on the other hand, audiences can experience the weathered, hard living of the Kansas locals and stark, cold cell life of the two criminals. Both sides of the coin are portrayed believably and beautifully with a true artist’s vision.

While all actors did a good job, Hoffman was the most exceptional part of the film, by far. After watching the film, I was curious to see how Truman Capote really carried himself. After viewing archive footage, it is obvious why Hoffman received his Academy Award. Hoffman was able to capture the essence of the real Truman Capote while bringing his own character to the role. With a unique character like Truman Capote, there is a strong likelihood that his flamboyant and effeminate characteristics might be overdone, but Hoffman plays Capote flawlessly. He captures his quirkiness without going overboard or making a caricature of himself.

Be warned that Capote is not for every movie fan.  This film will not appeal to the action-adventure types as it contains a lot of quiet dialogue and is character driven. However, if you appreciate a high-caliber cast and intriguing story I recommend you check out Capote.