Turmoil in Kansas

Rating: 8/10 (13 November 2005)

On November 15, 1959, a family of four were murdered in their Kansas home one evening by two reckless men with shotguns. Soon after, writer Truman Capote opened his newspaper to find the article pertaining to the tragic event. His life would never be the same.
In Benett Miller's Capote, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Magnolia, 25th Hour) stars as the famous writer who went all the way out to Kansas to inquire about the events that took place. With his friend Nelle Harper Lee (Catherine Keener, The 40 Year Old Virgin), who wrote a book called To Kill A Mockingbird, the two go throughout the town of Holcomb to find answers.
The two suspects, Perry Smith (CLifton Collins Jr., Tigerland) and Richard Hickock (Mark Pellegrino), are young boys who are dazed and confused by the whole situation. All Capote wants from them is the real story. In doing so, Capote seemingly is falling deeper and deeper into Smith's background and becoming quite fond of him.
As Capote starts to write his novel he realizes his turmoil. If he finds out what really happened that night in the Kansas household, he could send the two men to the gallows. If he doesn't find out what happens, his book will never get published. His morals are really in question.
The movie touches on Capote's homosexuality but actually says it. His lover Jack Dunphy (Bruce Greenwood, I, Robot) also feels the hardship of Capote's novel. It is consuming his life.
Hoffman has a difficult job to do in this movie. He has to sound, look, and act just like Truman Capote did. This is the easy part for Hoffman and his performance is stellar. But on top of becoming this character physically, he has to really get into Capote's head. The film shows Capote early on having a great time and "living it up" after the success of his latest novel Breakfast at Tiffany's, which went on to become an Academy Award winning picture.
As the movie progresses, you can see Capote start to become movie involved with the suspect Smith and having his book published. Smith's case is still winning more appeals higher up and a stay of execution. Capote's mood goes bad to worse. His novel isn't finished but is already gaining significant attention. The whole ordeal is eating him alive.
Capote is a fantastic movie that showcases why Truman Capote never finished another book after his publication of In Cold Blood. Hoffman gives his best performance to date.