Capote (2005)

Capote is a cunning treatment of Truman Capote's personality at age 24 and the pinnacle of his meteoric career -- as he chose and shouldered researching and writing his third novel, In Cold Blood. That book made him the most famous author of the twentieth century through his invention of the "nonfiction novel" but also broke him in ways that kept him from ever finishing another book. Capote gives us more than a masterful portrayal of the man by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The direction and cinematography are exceptional and captivating as they rely on unitive (continuous, long, and wide) shots with a tightly controlled color palette (no reds or blues at all). The featurettes are essential to understanding the artistic commitment of the director and his crew in their own words, even though the film's genius is more than evident during viewing. Every actor also shows their own mastery -- from Catherine Keener as Capote's moral anchor to the Kansas law enforcement chief and the convicted killers themselves. Just as Capote captured the killers' flawed humanity on paper, Hoffman captures Capote's shining conquests and developing doubts on film. Capote was a literary celebrity, an incisive intellectual, and a positively captivating conversationalist. This movie showcases his greatest moments and the start of his downfall into the alcoholism to which he ultimately succumbed. By all means please enjoy! 5 stars. (10-18-10 posted 11-3-10)