Class acting and a beautifully written screenplay...

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2006)

By now you have, of course, heard of "Capote" as the film in which Philip Seymour Hoffman gave the performance of his career, and took away the Best Actor Oscar at this year's ceremony. So, you don't need to wonder too much about the calibre of acting in this flick. Outstanding, to say the least. Where this movie *really* surprises, is the unique and original handling of the biopic; a genre that is very tired, yet always popular and notable for bringing to light the little known nuances and hardships in the lives of celebrities and people of greatness.
Before going to see this film, I was pretty convinced that "Capote" was just another biopic being thrust out in 2005-2006's new biographical "renaissance" (starting with Jaime Foxx's "Ray"), and most likely following the same formula. You know, a young kid down on his luck, abusive and/or alcoholic parents, or a life changing death of a friend, followed by a dream and struggle to be recognised, and concluding with a suicide or death, helped along by some kind of substance abuse.
"Capote" does not follow this formula in the slightest. After seeing the flick, I'm as clueless about Truman's parents, childhood, adulthood, first kiss and struggle to the top as I was before I went into the cinema. To be honest, I had no idea about Truman Capote. "Great American writers" are, unfortunately, just "American writers" here in Australia, which is possibly why "Capote" got such a limited release through independent movie houses across our wide brown land. But, afterwards? I understand a lot about this man, as much as I know about Johnny Cash after "Walk the Line" and Richie Valens after "Labamba". "Capote" does not thrust facts and draw pretty pictures to illustrate the life of its subject, instead, everything about Truman Capote is delivered via the incredible performances, across dialogue, body language, facial expressions, choice of beverage, etc, etc, etc. This method, of course, leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and facts undiscovered, but leaves you wanting to do a bit of extra-curricular study on a few things it nudges you towards.
A fantastic film, that dances across true crime and psychological behavior, driven almost entirely by superb acting (and not just from Hoffman). Some may find the film moves slowly, but for a movie of its calibre, is quite short. Others may be surprised as the film is not quite what it presents itself as.