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Capote
   
On November 15, 1959, a thriving Kansas farmer, Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie, his sixteen year old daughter Nancy, and his fifteen year old son Kenyon, were bound and gagged, robbed, and executed. New York writer Truman Capote saw the news story and became fascinated with the murder. He trekked to Kansas to investigate and report on the murder himself. The result was a non-fiction novel serialized in the New Yorker magazine in 1965, published as a novel in 1966, and made into a film in 1967.
 
This Film is set during the writing of that novel, titled “In Cold Blood”, which was itself written during the case on which it was based, the film chronicles the author's fascination with the nature of killing, and his exploration of what exactly could motivate two men to murder a family in cold blood. Capote is the story of how Truman Capote imposed himself into the investigation and got both law officials and the accused to cooperate with his inquiry.
 
Bennett Miller (director) delivers with Capote, a gripping biopic which projects the emotionally-complex and artistically-gifted character of Truman Capote onto the big screen, we finally get a chance to discover just what stimulated one of America's finest authors as he was writing his unquestionable literary classic. The title of the book could indeed have been an appropriate title for this film, for Miller chooses to shoot his debut feature through a detached lens, monitoring and never commenting. Philip Seymour Hoffman presents Truman Capote as a gifted eccentric, an outward homosexual, and a high-pitched, incisive genius. The camera's coldness, or at least its lack of sentimental charm or melodramatic involvement that is to be found in other lesser biopics, also channels the narrative’s dark subject matter.
 
Hoffman's also surrounded by high quality support, beginning with Catherine Keener (The Interpreter) who has been improving with her performances of late. Chris Cooper (Seabiscuit) represents an entire region in his wary welcome of the outwardly gay Capote as Alvin Dewey, the local Kansas sheriff in charge of the investigation and Amy Ryan (Keane) as his celebrity-obsessed wife wonderfully offsets him. Production design by Jess Gonchor (The Last Samurai's art director) beautifully displays the contrast between the bleakness of Kansas and the richer stylishness of Manhattan. Miller highlights the distinction when he uses a shot of Truman gazing out a window to connect widescreen shots of daytime Kansas flatness with a nighttime skyline full of New York skyscrapers.
 
This, like the film I reviewed last week (Good Night, And Good Bye), is another one that has gathered many Oscar nominations. This one has a total of five including Best Motion Picture, Best Leading Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), and Best Achievement in Directing (Bennett Miller) and although this has some very tough competition in its nominated categorizes it would be a great injustice if this film was to walk away empty handed.
 
In short, great drama does not get much better than this. As stated, Philip Seymour Hoffman is magnificent, turning a misrepresented character into a believable human being. In addition, scripter Dan Futterman constructs an impeccable arc that sees Capote deceive, flatter and manipulate his masterpiece into life, losing his soul and career in the process.
 
 
Paul Elliott

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