Fabulous, nuanced movie

Rating: 10/10 (6 November 2005)

In "Capote," by a combination of name dropping, charm, sensitivity, empathy, as well as ruthlessness, we see Truman Capote delicately gather information for his book, "In Cold Blood." We witness the complexity of his character who celebrates Harper Lee's publication of "To Kill a Mockingbird," and, a little later, sniff at its movie's debut that he "didn't see what all the fuss was about." "In Cold Blood" describes the Clutter murders, the execution of the killers, and Capote's manipulation of everyone for the good of his book. "Capote" implicitly questions whether Capote was justified in his deadly (perhaps literally, in his deliberate failure to obtain a better lawyer for Perry) deception and callousness, in the face of the creation of a book whose influence is still strong today, a tradition carried on by Anne Rule and others. We are shocked at Perry's sister's warning to Capote about her brother's capacity for violence, in the face of his apparent self-awareness, regret, and perhaps guilt, yet ultimately witness the aptness of her assessment. "Capote" does not give easy answers about the nature of evil, deception, envy, charm, or talent.