A good film that is dominated by Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance in the title role

Rating: 6/10 (21 May 2012)

"Capote" is a curate's egg of a film: it is very good in some parts, not so good in others. It is a complex movie that is somewhat unbalanced by the unquestionably excellent performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Hoffman dominates proceedings to such an extent that his performance tends to detract from other aspects of the film.
The film covers a period of 6 years from the very end of the 1950s to the early years of the 1960s. Writer Truman Capote (Hoffman) has already gained literary success and prestige with his book "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Basking in the adulation that has come his way as a result of that work, he becomes interested in a violent murder that has occurred in Kansas in which two young men have seemingly killed an entire family. One of them, Perry Smith (played by Clifton Collins Jr.), is a thoughtful person who is reticent about the precise details of the crime. Capote travels to Kansas with childhood friend, Nelle Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), the writer of the Pulitzer prizewinning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". They begin research on a book that Capote is planning to write on the murder. (The book is subsequently published under the title "In Cold Blood".) As part of this research, Capote is granted personal access to the two men, who are imprisoned while the court process is under way. His relationship with Smith becomes a very close one as a result of his interviews with him. The film examines the conflict of interests that Capote has to confront: his burgeoning loyalty to, and friendship with, Smith; and his desire to complete his book at all costs and the impact that that has on their relationship and on Capote himself.
The crisis of conscience that Capote faces is portrayed very effectively. The conclusion of the film is extremely moving. And, although Hoffman is undoubtedly the star, the other leading actors are all excellent. There are, however, some problems with the film. In particular, it is at times turgid and very slow-moving. I was extremely bored on a number of occasions. The film also labours its main point, which is that an artist may have to trade humanity for ruthlessness if he or she is ever to get their job done satisfactorily.
So, "Capote" is a reasonably good film, but is certainly not a great one. It has given me the urge to read "In Cold Blood", which I suspect is rather better than this film is. 6/10.