Detailed item info | Movie description | Bennett Miller's CAPOTE is a finely crafted biopic that recounts a historic chapter in American history and, in the process, captures the unraveling of a truly gifted mind. Starring an extraordinary Philip Seymour Hoffman as the legendary Truman Capote, the film concentrates on the seven-year period during which Capote wrote his groundbreaking nonfiction novel, IN COLD BLOOD. One morning in 1959, Capote learned of a horrific family killing in Holcomb, Kansas. With the intention of writing an article for the New Yorker, he traveled to the Midwest with his good friend Nell Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), who was about to publish her own masterwork, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Somehow, the soft-spoken, eccentric writer managed to earn the trust of local authorities--most notably, reserved K.B.I. agent Alvin Dewey (Chris Cooper). But when the two killers were caught and returned to Kansas to await trial, Capote began to form an intense emotional bond with one of them, Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.). The pressure of this connection threatened to push an already fragile Capote into the darkest recesses of himself. His only hope was to finish the book that he was convinced would shock the nation and change the course of writing forever.
Hoffman's tender portrayal of the writer is a remarkable achievement. He slips into the skin of Capote flawlessly, allowing viewers to experience Capote's inner turmoil for themselves. Keener and Cooper once again deliver compassionate performances. But it is Miller's overall vision, based on a script by Dan Futterman and beautifully realized by his technical collaborators (especially director of photography Adam Kimmel and production designer Jess Gonchor), that makes CAPOTE an Oscar-worthy production.
| | Credits | | Producer: | Caroline Baron, Dana Kimmell, Michael Ohoven, William Vince | | Cast: | Chris Cooper, Mark Pellegrino |
| | Details | | Edition: | Copy Protected |
| | Editorial reviews | "Hoffman's portrayal of the petite yet outsize Truman Capote...is impeccable -- it's bound for awards..."
Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum (09/30/2005)
"Hoffman's unmissable and unforgettable performance as Truman Capote should make him the frontrunner for every Best Actor prize in the book."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (10/06/2005)
"[R]apt, absorbing and thrillingly perceptive....CAPOTE honors its subject by doing just what Truman Capote did. It teases, fascinates, and haunts." -- Grade: A-
Entertainment Weekly - Owen Gleiberman (10/07/2005)
"[A] fascinating and fine-grained reconstruction....Not only does Mr. Hoffman achieve an impressive physical and vocal transformation...but he also conveys, with clarity and subtlety, the complexities of Capote's temperament."
New York Times - A. O. Scott (09/27/2005)
"The complexity of a gifted author, as well as his self-aggrandizing nature, are what the film focuses on. Hoffman delivers a thrilling and profound Oscar-caliber performance that will haunt viewers well after the movie is over."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (09/30/2005)
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "Catherine Keener is remarkably subtle and soulful as Capote's friend and helpmeet Harper Lee."
Premiere - Glenn Kenny (11/01/2005)
5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he movie steers its own delicate course through the ethical minefields of 'faction' with consummate skill....It's Hoffman's film -- a tour de force..."
Uncut - Tom Charity (03/01/2006)
"Philip Seymour Hoffman is in complete control of his effects....The Oscar-worthy achievement is really the voice..."
Sight and Sound - Tim Robey (03/01/2006)
"[I]t's a stark, complex and ultimately stunning examination of a man who exploited others for professional gain and the emotional price he paid."
Movieline's Hollywood Life - Geoff Berkshire (03/01/2006)
4 stars out of 5 -- "[Miller] deserves much credit for his sedate, seemingly effortless direction and beautifully composed style."
Total Film - Mark Salisbury (08/01/2006)
4 stars out of 5 -- "Beautifully shot and flawlessly acted; this captures the essence of the iconic novel and also brings a lingering poignancy to a portrait of a man as troubled and haunted as the novel's subjects."
Ultimate DVD - Natalie Braine (08/01/2006)
"Ms. Keener's quiet austerity provides a counterbalance to Mr. Hoffman's brilliance."
Wall Street Journal (10/16/2009)
| | Awards | 2005 Academy Awards, Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman
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