excruciating

Rating: 5/10 (21 October 2005)

If Richard Brooks' film of "In Cold Blood" wasn't stark and painfully slow enough for you, this movie goes it one worse. Not only do we get the suffering and torment of the murder victims and the perpetrators, but we also get the suffering and torment of the insufferable personality who brought the story to "life," Truman Capote. All the minor and incidental characters seem to be in some sort of existential pain as well.
From his vapid anecdotes over cocktails at NY literary parties (the real Capote must have been a little more witty and charismatic than this!) to his manipulation of the supposed friendship he forged with the murderers, complete with lies and crocodile tears, this Capote is not only distasteful and pathetic but his true talent is never believably conveyed.
Hoffman's portrayal is sure to garner many accolades, and this dark slow film many award nominations, but to me the whole mess was just hollow and cold, completely unengaging. And the dialogue was poorly written, the cardinal failing of any film...