Andrew McMurtryREVIEW: Capote (2005)
November 19th 2008 12:59
“Capote” is a great movie which looks at a very contentious issue through the eyes of one of the highest profile death sentence cases in American History. This movie was not only made to create a biographical look at Truman Capote’s life in writing his book “In Cold Blood” but it is showing the American people and people all around the world the problem with the death penalty. It raises the issue of whether the government should be able to take someone’s life.
Based in 1959 around Truman Capote search for the next great novel, “Capote” is a film about his life, his relationship with the remorseful murderers and how his pursuit of glory led to his eventual moral downfall. It documents his downfall into depression and the painful process of writing his book, as he had to get to know Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr) and Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino), the two convicted of the murders on which the book is based. “Capote” deals with the writing of his last and most famous novel “In Cold Blood”. But what this movie does is look at the morality and immorality of the death penalty in American. The most political moment in this film is the hanging scene. When he falls through the trap door and twitches for that last time, there cannot be an image which provokes a more terrible feeling. This film asks the question is murder the right punishment for murder and should the state have the power to take a person’s life?
“Capote” dramatises Truman’s process in the writing of the book and how Perry Smith was seduced, betrayed and then immortalised in the writer’s obsession. This looks at the spectacle that is made by the news in everyday American life. There are political correctness issues, such as:
“…he told me the plot of his new book. He said, "I just wanted to make sure it's not one of those problem novels," you know. And I said, "Jimmy. Your book is about a Negro homosexual who's in love with a Jew. Wouldn't you call that a problem?"
This film is great. The acting of Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the title role is outstanding. And really everyone else in the film is just the back-up. Hoffman’s performance as Truman Capote is so brilliant and meaningful that all the other actors in the film have to take a back seat. That is saying something as this is a strong cast of accomplished actors including Chris Cooper and Catherine Keener. I also enjoyed watching the development of the shots as it was good to show how Capote descended into his depression over the two death row inmates after he began with such confidence that the book would be a resounding success.
“Capote” is brilliant, stunning and overall a great film. Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s performance should never be understated and he is phenomenal. It is a great film. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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