One of the most beautifully stark, yet provocative and powerful films of 2005 has to be Capote. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who gives his finest screen performance to date, literally becomes Truman Capote through effete mannerism, nasaly voice & self-absorbed tone.
The story behind the events of the famous book In Cold Blood has just what it takes to capture the attention of us, as viewers, so much so that it is not possible to stop watching it until the last minute; both for the period setting and the glorious performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Capote is a rare film that tells a true story, is a character study, will make you question morality, society, and yourself. The suspense is incredibly well captured, and that is sometimes difficult in a biopic. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance as Capote is so precise, and it is easily one of the best acting performances since 2000, in my opinion. This is a must watch for acting students.
On the personal betrayals that accompany Capote's ache for literary transcendence. The betrayals were necessary to create "In Cold Blood." This is why Capote is such an unsettlingly ambiguous experience.
A fascinating and fine-grained reconstruction of that period in its subject's life, a time when he (Capote) pursued literary glory and flirted with moral ruin.
Catherine Keener is remarkably subtle and soulful as Capote's friend and helpmeet Harper Lee, who delivers a shocking verdict against him at the end, but the movie, as you probably will not be surprised to learn, is owned by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
While the filmmaking overall suffers from a kind of tasteful, low-key blandness, Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Capote keeps the blood coursing through it. He's the bright, chilling spot of color at the center of an otherwise beige movie.
I've long admired the writings of Truman Capote (especially In Cold Blood). What Bennett Miller is able to accomplish is an extraordinary feat. Documenting Capote as he writes his infamous piece of non-fiction, we are guided in suspense by Dan Futterman's incredible script. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives the finest performance of the year!
It's a Hoffman show, and it almost made me believe that they dive in deep just to see more of him as this infamous writer.
Capote
Miller capes the authenticity of 40s filmmaking. It is informative, yes. Definitely, inspiring. But what has evolved since then in filmmaking is to crowd the film with surprising visits with buffed up but toned content whose priority is to keep the viewers engaging. Swooping in every trick, somehow, Bennett Miller, the director, lost the grasp of the final ingredient that balances the fictional or like here real word. If the world is practically stashed around formal dull government papers, then our host is frankly bedazzling us with his tricks. The profile is scintillating. To a degree that it blurs out the background world that it resides in. Is it the character or the actor?
I am going to lean towards Philip Seymour Hoffman. Not that Truman Capote himself isn't intriguing but if played by someone else maybe he'd have come across a bit reserved and mellow in his language. But not Hoffman. No, sir. He comes from the exotic tales of P.T. Anderson. And also, personally, I have always felt like Hoffman is kind of a bragger. He loves to flaunt his skills. No matter how poised or formal, he is. He enters the frame and you are drawn to him. It is almost like he is dancing, with a straight face and not-so-steady eyes.
The caliber of the cast is impeccable, from Katherine Keener to Chris Cooper and as much as supportive they are, there is barely any place for them to be in charge. I was drawn to almost-like-trash talks occurring in the cell not by screaming but whispering, Hoffman and Clifton Collins Jr. resists an intense war in that cell. But above all, what's captivating is the stillness in that cell, steady and calm was their nature, discussing pivotal points of their life, fighting over the title, he loses, Capote does.
Genius mind of one sensational writer at the moment. Philips played the character in the best way, changing his tone and mimic. Good one biography but unfortunetely it must be easy to forget.
Une biographie à un moment clé de la vie de cet écrivain américain (Truman Capote...) qui va pondre un" roman-vérité" (sic) sur les deux assassins qui ont massacré une famille entière en 1959. Il les suit jusque dans le couloir de la mort et se lie d'amitié avec l'un d'eux, allant jusqu'à s'attendrir sur le sort de ces "pauvres meurtriers". J'ignore si le film suit le livre à la lettre mais ce misérabilisme larmoyant et complaisant de petit intellectuel bourgeois progressiste est à vomir.
Bien sûr, le film est aussi un portrait de l'écrivain lui-même, un dandy au sens de l'humour particulier, du genre qui rit à ses propres blagues même s'il dispose toujours d'un parterre de mange-boules à ses basques qui se bidonne à chacun de ses bons mots dans les soirées mondaines. Sa présentation et sa façon de parler à la fois maniérées et pédantes en font une folle des plus distinguées qui dénote encore davantage à cette époque la singularité du personnage, également journaliste et ami des stars cela va de soi.
D'une lenteur consternante et aussi emprunté que son rôle principal, le film est tout aussi peigne-cul et sa lourdeur ne fait aucun doute. Ce qui n'empêche pas de saluer la performance extraordinaire de Philip Seymour Hoffman, un acteur brillant et d'une grande intensité... qui s'époumone hélas un peu en vain dans ce film à la mords-moi-le-noeud.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a phenomenal actor and he does a great job with what he's given in this movie. That is the only redeeming quality. This movie isn't funny, suspensful, scary, dramatic, or anything like that. It has no action. It has almost no plot. It was so boring that after 50 minutes I had absolutely no reason to finish it. I suppose if you're a die-hard biopic fan, then you might get something out of this.
Production Company
United Artists,
Sony Pictures Classics,
A-Line Pictures,
Cooper's Town Productions,
Infinity Media,
Eagle Vision,
Capital Arts Entertainment,
Capote Productions