In November, 1959, Truman Capote, the author of "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" and a favorite figure in what is soon to be known as the Jet Set, reads an article on a back page of the New York Times. It tells of the murders of four members of a well-known farm family--the Clutters--in Holcomb, Kansas. Similar stories appear in newspapers almost every day, but something about this one catches Capote’s eye. It presents an opportunity, he believes, to test his long-held theory that, in the hands of the right writer, non-fiction can be as compelling as fiction. What impact have the murders had on that tiny town on the wind-swept plains? With that as his subject--for his purpose, it does not matter if the murderers are never caught--he convinces The New Yorker magazine to give him an assignment and he sets out for Kansas. Accompanying him is a friend from his Alabama childhood: Harper Lee, who within a few months will win a Pulitzer Prize and achieve fame of her own as the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

When the first thing you do when you get home from seeing a movie is instantly look up the movie on the internet to find out more about its characters that is a great compliment to the film that it could make you so interested in Truman Capote that you want to learn more about him. The movie was almost like a history lesson at times for me because beyond knowing he had written In Cold Blood I knew very little about Capote and he is truly one of the more fascinating characters to ever grace American culture. He was a man much like his stories that was larger than life and that captivated you with its drama and its despair in the end. Because while Capote may have been a likeable person he was a truly apprehensible monster that would do anything for his story and in the end almost sells his soul for that story that tortures him so and may have led to his alcohol driven death nearly two decades later. That is powerful, it’s the story that drives this movie as you can’t but help being drawn into the world that was Capote and like the aftermath of a tornado you find yourself thrown around and displaced like the rubble that a tornado or Capote could leave it its wake.

Capote’s destruction was his life he was drawn to Perry Smith because he was so much like Smith as he says himself its like they grew up in the same house and Smith went out the back while I went out the front. That is this movie it is the mirroring that shows Capote his true self and tortures him tell the end. I was drawn to Capote, I was drawn to Smith these were men who we interesting, they were vibrant and they drove the movie and kept me glued to my seat throughout. This movie is powerful, it is deep and thought provoking and it is highly highly enjoyable.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is Truman Capote there is no doubt so ever, he does that marvelous of a job. I like Hoffman he has proven himself to be a good actor in the past but this movie made me see him as maybe one of the better actors of his generation. He has played the despair driven, tortured soul before in movies like Love Liza but Capote he also plays the flamboyant and boisterous Truman Capote and makes you believe he is who he is supposed to be portraying. He is subtle, he is over the top and he is magnificent. Capote who was openly gay is no secret but how Hoffman portrayed it was beautiful, not once do they mention he is gay but you know he is because Hoffman becomes Capote. Any accolades that Hoffman is up for or wins he completely deserves as he puts in one of the best performances in a decade. Clifton Collins Jr. does the same with the mirror of Capote in Perry Smith whom seems sensitive but is a murderer all at the same time. He makes you feel for him while you have to despise him for the crimes he has committed. While Capote is this powerfully story driven movie and the material is there for it to be good it’s the actors that make it great and one of the best films of the years. Without Hoffman and Collins the movie wouldn’t have been the same because they too drive you to the story. I would recommend this movie for anyone who wants to be emerged in a truly good story with incredible acting, go see it, rent it do whatever you must but just see it.
5 stars out of 5