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 ruman
Capote was already a household name in 1959,
having written "Breakfast at Tiffany's,"
when he boarded a train to
Holcomb
,
Kansas
to investigate the brutal massacre of a farm
family by two drifters. What began as research for
an article for New Yorker magazine turned into a
6-year self-destructive ordeal culminating in the
publishing of his seminal true-crime novel
"In Cold Blood" (which was itself made
into a movie starring Robert Blake in 1967).
"In Cold Blood" was Capote's greatest
work and, ironically, the last book he ever
finished.
Directed by Bennett Miller in
his debut, "Capote" is an unflinchingly
examination of this particular episode in Capote's
life. The film opens with Capote (Philip Seymour
Hoffman, "The Talented Mr. Ripley") and
his childhood friend and fellow author Harper Lee
(Catherine Keener, "Being John
Malkovich") heading to
Kansas
. Capote's intent is simply to write an article
about how the murders affected the townspeople and
bring some small town dirt to his big city
readers. However, upon seeing the accused in
court, particularly the solemn and wounded Perry
(Clifton Collins Jr., "Traffic"), Capote
becomes consumed with the idea of writing a
non-fiction novel about the case.
This proves to be a fateful
decision, as interest turns to obsession and
Capote becomes increasingly and unethically
involved with both Perry and the legal process
surrounding the trial. Capote comes to see Perry
as a kindred spirit, a fellow product of a broken
home, and he coyly uses this connection to get the
information he needs for his book. Nevertheless,
the subconscious attachment to his subjects end up
taking a terrible emotional and mental toll on
Capote.
As the story of an artist
whose greatest success also brings about his
downfall, "Capote" could have been
presented as a traditional
Hollywood
biopic ala "Ray." But Miller avoids the
pitfalls of the genre by refraining from
mythologizing Capote, choosing instead to explore
the emotional machinery behind the man rather than
milking the "troubled genius" angle with
vivid flashbacks to childhood traumas. Instead,
Miller stays focused on the one event,
extrapolating the developing co-dependency between
Capote and Perry as the foreshadowing of the
author's eventual demise.
Most of the buzz about the
film has centered on Philip Seymour Hoffman's
dead-on portrayal of Capote. It's justified buzz,
as everything from Hoffman's dough-boy looks and
effeminate mannerisms to his baby doll voice are
perfected to a 'T.' If you've seen the
side-splittingly funny comedy "Murder By
Death," you'll instantly realize how good
Hoffman's portrayal truly is. Capote is a user and
a manipulator and Hoffman's delicately endearing
and heinously ingratiating performance brings out
these traits in spectacular fashion.
The supporting performances
are mostly overshadowed by Hoffman, but they are
strong nonetheless. Catherine Keener is excellent,
constructing Lee as Capote's foil. Lee is reason
to Capote's obsession, the shame to his pride. The
other standout is Clifton Collins Jr. His low key
performance as the emotionally disturbed Perry is
more than up to Hoffman's challenge. Collins
exudes a perceptible air of barely controlled
menace that grows proportionally to Perry's
relationship with Capote. The triumph of Collins'
performance is that it engenders uncomfortable
sympathy for Perry, even after we learn of his
role in the murders.
My only real quibbles with
the film are the pacing and its aloofness. This is
a deliberate film; almost too deliberate. Miller
expertly maintains the tension and intrigue
throughout with tight dialogue and strong
performances, but lingers on thematic tangents
towards the end. The film is also more
intellectually than emotionally engaging. I
observed and analyzed what Capote was
experiencing, but never connected with Capote the
man or felt what he was feeling.
Harsh, austere and incisive,
"Capote" is a mesmerizing film. Those
who enjoy something much darker and cerebral than
the usual fare will be rewarded. The Oscar
nominations the film has received are well
deserved, and as a testament to its power,
"Capote" made me want to go out and read
"In Cold Blood." |
