Compelling

Rating: 8/10 (26 March 2006)

Two men kill a family of four on a Kansas night and this compels Truman Capote to write a novel about it.
I used to see Truman Capote on the talk shows in those years I stayed up late. It was difficult, at times, to understand him then and watching the DVD now it was still difficult to understand him or the character playing him. But, armed with the power of a Remote I can rewind many times and sometimes I was able to understand what he said. At other times, I said "forget it " when I still couldn't get a handle on what was said. Is this a tribute to Hoffman who played him? Probably. The one thing I do remember from those late night talk shows is that, at times, he was funny. Well, when I could understand what he said, that is. No, I am not being critical here. This is the way it was.
Capote is obsessed with only three things: 1) why did the two men kill a family of four in Kansas that night. 2) when he would get the ending for his novel: 3) with himself, of course.
His researcher is cousin or childhood friend (I have heard both) Nell Harper Lee who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. In this movie she does finish her book and the movie is made and Capote has no joy for her as this is the time he desperately needs an ending to his book and he cannot get it and can think of nothing else.
From what I remember of those talk shows when Capote was on, Mr. Hoffman nails the character perfectly. See, watching TV does educate.
Only two men deserved the Best Actor Award, David Strathairn (for Edward R. Murrow) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Both nailed their character, but Hoffman walked away with the Oscar.
Good acting performances all around, but the story is in the details and in the telling. Very compelling.