When Truman Capote read about the tragic slaying of a Kansas family in the New York Times, his sharp, inspiration driven mind saw potential in not only the story of the victims but the motives of the killers. With help from fellow writer Harper Lee, he set about a famous investigation into the deaths. Dreamily beautiful and delicately handled, this biopic concentrates on the changeable period in Capote's life when he befriended the two murderers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. By interviewing these two convicts as they await execution of death row, Capote found an emotional connection with Perry Smith, the more sensitive and intellectual of the two, who notably placed a pillow under a teenage boy's head before shooting him in the face. This little quirk is of the kind Capote desired, weaving together accounts of the murders with his own narrative style to create "In Cold Blood", allegedly the world"s first "non-fiction novel".
The course of the film mostly serves as a detailed look at the relationship between Capote and killer Perry Smith. It handles the would-be-friendship with a balance of intelligent script-writing and very natural acting, without blowing it out of proportion. The result is exceptional, as you start to wonder what Truman Capote"s motives really were for "In Cold Blood". In discussions between himself and his editor, Capote speaks of needing a definite ending to the book. Of course, as an audience we know the outcome, but Capote flirts with the idea of trying to stop the execution, or at the very least delay it. He knows, however, this would not give the desired satisfying conclusion to his forthcoming work, but the thought of two gold-mines of literary inspiration being wasted leaves him confused and heart-broken.
While watching the film the viewer is not confused. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's outstanding acting not only makes Capote an interesting character to get to know, but he is wonderful to watch. With the famously high pitched voice, this could have been a comic, zany, caricature. Instead we get an almost melodic tone of voice that isn't at all hard to listen to, with the emotional backing that cries out for award recognition. The most harrowing scene is the moment before the execution, when Capote knows that the outcome he partially hoped for is now imminent. It is all the more hard to watch for the viewing audience, as we have come to wish the convicts dead, but also sympathise with them and their position.
This is not a popcorn movie, nor is it exciting entertainment. But I do not mean this as criticism. This should earn the film more respect for not straying into these tempting, money making genres. By keeping sombre and unglamorous, "Capote" is an uncompromising success, definitely worthy of all the awards and recognition it has received.

Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Truman Capote - a writer for the New Yorker in this real life biopic of the man that revolutionalised journalism with his "non-fiction novel" In Cold Blood but sold his soul and broke journalistic code in the process.
Capote trawls the newspaper searching for inspiration for a short story that The New Yorker can serialise. He finds a report about a family from a quite farming community in Kansas that has been brutally murdered. He"s quick to realise that this could be perfect for a book which he dubs - a non-fiction novel - "sometimes, when I think how good my book can be, I can hardly breathe" he says.
He goes to Kansas to investigate the murders and gather material for his book. He"s given access to police reports and even allowed to speak to the killers - two young men Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr) and Richard Hickock (Mark Pellegrino).
He develops a relationship with Smith and, eager to gather as much information as possible, even finds an appeal lawyer to help the murderers and get them a delay in their executions.
Whether Truman Capote really felt anything for these men - be it sympathy or empathy - "it's as if we were raised in the same house, and one day he stood up and walked out the back door and I walked out the front" he once said about Perry Smith is debatable. More likely he was deceiving them like he did almost everyone.
Well-known amongst the New York literati with his high-pitched southern drawl and sparkling anecdotes Truman Capote was a sharp-witted master of conversation.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a fantastic character actor and this is one of his only lead roles, he"s excellent as Capote by all reports mimicking him perfectly he makes the movie more watchable than it might have been without him, yet somehow the film is still a little sterile and whilst it does engage the viewer on some levels it won"t be to everyone"s tastes..

This is not a biopic in the conventional sense in that it deals with just a short period in Truman Capotes life. That is the period leading up to one of his best known books and certainly his most enduring work the non fiction novel 'In Cold Blood,. This details the aftermath of the November 1959 murders of the Clutter family in a quiet Kansas backwater which captured the attention of the American nation and fascinated Capote.
The film is not primarily concerned with the murders concentrating instead on the period leading up to the book. It details how Capote(Phillip Seymour Hoffman) made numerous trips to the area researching 'In Cold Blood' forming a close friendship with one of the killers Perry Smith. The film examines the nature of their relationship and how Capote and his friend and fellow writer Harper Lee(Catherine Keener) won the trust of the entire community. It shows how Capote whilst publicly supporting Smith's innocence went on to betray him for his own ends and for the sake of a bestseller.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the title role has never been better, a worthy Oscar winner. The film itself is a fascinating study of a short period in the life of a complex man.