CAPOTE (R) ****
Directed by Bennett Miller. 98 minutes.
Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Chris
Cooper,
Philip Seymour Hoffman pulls an amazing feat in Capote- he not only gives a dead-on mimic of the infamous writer of In Cold Blood and Breakfast of Tiffany’s, but also manages to create a fleshed-out character and give the audience entry into Capote’s psyche; all the while keeping in character without missing a beat as he imitates the author’s high pitched nasal voice. It is an amazing performance, and one that is a shoo-in for an Academy Award nomination, that is, if there is any justice in the world. Hoffman is one of the most versatile actors of his generation. The proof is in the performances, namely Boogie Nights, Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Owning Mahoney, 25th Hour, Love Liza and Almost Famous. He is a chameleon character actor that rarely gets a chance for a lead performance. However, Capote should assure many of those in years to come.
Rather than present a bio film of Capote, first time feature director Bennett Miller, who previously directed the odd documentary, The Cruise, focuses on a single period of time in the author’s life- as he stumbles upon, researches and writes the story of his famous true crime novel, In Cold Blood. The film argues that the creation of the book is the key point of Capote’s life and, perhaps, the reason why he never finished another novel or nonfiction book afterward. In Cold Blood, for those who have neither read the book nor seen the remarkable 1967 film, tells the horrifying tale of Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr. in a breakout role) and Richard Hickock (Mark Pellegrino), two men who held a family hostage in Kansas in 1959, attempting to rob the house, where they had heard a large stash was hidden. The family had little to no money and the two men shot and killed all five family members.
Why does Capote choose to chronicle the lives of these two men- through their own storytelling, from the night of the murders up until their execution? Maybe because he himself is an outsider. Who knows? The film provides little insight into Capote’s choice to take on the men’s story. However, he does and become immediately immersed. He especially becomes friends with Perry Smith and relays stories of his own difficult childhood to convince Smith to talk straight with him. Capote even hires Smith a new lawyer and it appears that he cares for the criminal. However, the question remains throughout the film whether the writer wants to help Smith or whether he is simply using him to write a sensational book.
Catherine Keener plays author Harper Lee in the film and she provides the voice of reason for Capote. She herself questions whether her friend is exploiting the two men and whether he wants to see them live because he would like to save lives or because he needs them around to finish his book. The film is dependant on Hoffman making Capote’s character come to life, but also to make his motives questionable to the audience. Needless to say, he more than rises to the occasion.
This is one of the best bio films of recent years, ranking with Kinsey, Ray and The Aviator. Capote is a great character study, a one-man performance piece, a bit of a mystery and a fascinating look at the relationship between an artist and his subject. Though Harper Lee provides a rather damning accusation of the writer at the film’s end, his troublesome friendship with Smith cannot simply be dismissed as a parasitic relationship, but rather Capote manipulating people in order to create his art, while, at the same time, trying to help those around him genuinely understand his own troubled life. We never really know when Capote is being genuine or acting for a crowd, which is further proof of the complexity of Hoffman’s performance. This movie is a stunner and it goes much deeper than most bio films of celebrities typically go.