Capote (2005)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Bennett Miller

Writers (WGA):

Dan Futterman (screenplay)
Gerald Clarke (book)

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Truman Capote (Hoffman), during his research for his book In Cold Blood, an account of the murder of a Kansas family, the writer develops a close relationship with Perry Smith, one of the killers.

Plot Keywords:

Kansas | Writer | Truman Capote | Execution | Murder

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 44 wins & 43 nominations

Cast

Allie Mickelson	...	Laura Kinney
Kelci Stephenson	...	Nancy Clutter
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Truman Capote
Craig Archibald	...	Christopher
Bronwen Coleman	...	Barbara
Kate Shindle	...	Rose
David Wilson Barnes	...	Grayson
Michael J. Burg	...	Williams (as Michael J. Berg)
Catherine Keener	...	Nelle Harper Lee
Kwesi Ameyaw	...	Porter
Andrew Farago	...	Car Rental Agent
Ken Krotowich	...	Courthouse Guard
Chris Cooper	...	Alvin Dewey
R.D. Reid	...	Roy Church
Rob McLaughlin	...	Harold Nye (as Robert Mclaughlin)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violent images and brief strong language.

Runtime:

114 min | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:M | UK:15 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Hong Kong:IIB | USA:R (certificate #41953) | France:U | Sweden:11 | Iceland:16 | Hungary:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

A-Line Pictures

Trivia:

Michael J. Burg plays Capote's cousin, playwright Tennessee Williams. He has also played Capote himself in two other films: The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000) (TV), and The Hoax (2006).

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the movie, Capote's hair is parted on the right side. All photos of Truman Capote show him with his hair parted on the left.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Laura Kinney: Hello? Nancy?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kingdom of the Vampire (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Easy to Remember

Mesmerizing Performance in a Complex, Contradictory Film

Like the non-fiction novel and the Richard Brooks film that was made from it, "In Cold Blood," "Capote" focuses on and sympathizes with two killers at the expense of the four murdered members of the Clutter family. Once the viewer gets beyond this sticking point, however, all three works are outstanding, unforgettable experiences. Unlike the book and the original movie, "Capote" does explore the contradictory feelings that author Truman Capote wrestles with as he researches and writes "In Cold Blood." His feelings for Perry Smith, the more "sensitive" of the two killers, are particularly problematic as Capote becomes emotionally close to Smith and helps the men with legal aide that postpones the executions, while at the same time Capote cannot finish his book until Smith and Hickcock are hanged. Praise for Philip Seymour Hoffman's uncanny performance as Truman Capote cannot be overstated and, come awards time, if he does not collect enough accolades to fill his mantel, indictments for film critics and Academy voters would be in order. Hoffman not only captures the mannerisms and voice of Capote, he inhabits the man's soul and expresses his feelings and emotions without histrionics or the type of caricature that mimics often have made of the notoriously fey writer in the past.

Fortunately, Hoffman's performance is only the jewel in a gilded crown of fine writing, excellent direction, and solid supporting performances. "Capote" will send viewers back to their bookshelves to re-read the book and to their video libraries to re-view the 1967 film. Considering the time that Capote spent with the two convicted murderers, questions arise as to why the Richard Brooks film did not have Truman Capote as a character, but rather presented a bland, nameless investigative writer, who wanders through the proceedings without much purpose. The film is so good and so intriguing that questions such as that, and what happened to the writer that Capote lived with? and did Harper Lee write anything beyond "To Kill a Mockingbird?" and did Capote's presence at the execution lead to his alcoholism, his lack of further writing, and eventually his death, and other questions will send viewers to Google as soon as they get home. "Capote" is an outstanding film and possibly the first of the year to be assured of a place on the "10 Best" lists for 2005.