'Capote' Review- In Cold Blood
This film was released in 2005.
Capote is directed by Bennett Miller and is based on the biography of the same name by Gerald Clarke. It tells the story of Truman Capote’s life during the events leading up to the publication of his true crime novel In Cold Blood.
Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a flamboyant author and a favorite in the New York City celebrity scene. After reading an article about the murder of the Miller family in Kansas, Capote becomes enamored and intrigued with the crime and believes he can write a book on the events. He heads to Kansas with his friend Nelle Harper Lee (Catherine Keener) to learn about the murders and the killers behind them.
After meeting the murderers, he begins to earn their trust and slowly gets information from them. He becomes especially close to Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.), who develops a weird connection with Capote but refuses to discuss the murders. Investigator Alvin Adams Dewey (Chris Cooper) wants Capote about Perry and his partner Richard (Mark Pellegrino). Despite this, Capote continues to write the novel and gets pulled into their world.
My only critique is it attempted to humanize the killers, especially Perry Smith. These men brutally killed four innocent victims and they deserved their punishment. Even if they had a sad life before, it does not justify their behavior or exempt them from punishment.
That being said, the movie is amazing. Miller brings the eccentric writer and the story of one of his most famous books to life. I was hooked from the very beginning and thought that the tale was crafted very well.
Wow, Hoffman blew me away. He captured the real Truman Capote’s mannerisms, expressions, and the subtle way he would charm people. You felt his desire to be unique, but also the desire to be part of the “in-crowd.” Hoffman hits all of this with so much talent and I applaud him.
The rest of the cast does phenomenally as well. Bruce Greenwood portrays Capote’s boyfriend and fellow novelist Jack Dunphy, who grows frustrated with his partner’s obsession with the Kansas slayings. Likewise, Keener is as excellent as Harper Lee. She proves to be a stabilizer for the story and does amazing in the role.
This is one of the most shocking murders to plague the United States at the time. While I did not like sympathizing with the murderers, the movie does not hold back on how brutal it was and pays tribute to the victims of this senseless killing.
Botton line, Capote is brilliantly told and brilliantly acted. Hoffman, rightly so, won several awards including the Best Actor at the 78th Academy Awards.
FAVORITE QUOTE: I have 94 percent recall of all conversation. I tested it myself.
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Violence, Language, and mild sexual content
Check out the trailer below:
That is my review. What did you think? Let me know in the comments below and tell me if there’s a movie, anime, or TV show you’d like me to review.