A Breath Taking Performance by Hoffman

Rating: 8/10 (13 July 2007)

"Capote" is more than a biography or the dazzling portrayal of Truman Capote in full flight by Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is also the complex portrait of a writer at work and the developing picture is neither simple, nor pretty.
We meet Capote dazzling the New York literary set but unsure of what his next book might be. Until he comes across a particularly brutal murder in Holcomb, Kansas where a whole family has been wiped out by two men. Suddenly, Truman Capote sees the chance to do something quite new and maybe the best work of his life and. Capote sets off for Kansas with his old childhood friend, Harper Lee, a lovely, elegant performance by Catherine Keener. He sets out for Holcomb and his destiny as a writer.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives a shattering performance that undoubtedly gives credence to his character. He is, in short, Truman Capote himself, perfectly mimicking everything about the controversial writer.
There's really nothing that jumps out about this film other than Hoffman. Regardless, it is an interesting look into the life of the influential writer that is made possible through great characterization and superb acting that granted Phillip Seymour Hoffman the 2005 "Best Actor in a Leading Role" Academy Award. 8/10