Pristine, note-perfect minimalistic film-making

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2005)

I normally steer clear of films that reek of Oscar, but this turned out to be far more than a parlor trick by the able impersonator Hoffman. He and the movie plumb the very depths of America's dark soul. We learn how high a price Capote paid for his persistence in hunting down the story of this infamous Midwestern massacre, and how far he went to see his masterpiece through. Every performance deserves an award, the technical aspects are beyond reproach, the storytelling and script are clear as a bell without an unnecessary moment. But most breathtaking of all is the way Hoffman portrays Capote's unshakable faith in his own genius.