Capote is a compelling and exceptional drama that probes the complex psyche of a writer.
The film depicts the life of Truman Capote, a famous author who befriended two murderers in order to write a book that redefined journalism.
Basing a movie on an author in the process of writing a book is a tricky move for any filmmaker. Not much happens, except in the head of the writer, leaving little visual material to work with.
But Capote was no ordinary writer and his 1966 book, In Cold Blood, is an extraordinary work. As a non-fiction novel, it was considered an innovative and new form of writing during the 1960s.
The book details the 1959 murder of a family in a peaceful farming community in Kansas. As a character in the film noted: 'the book has changed the way people write'.
Capote also changed the way people viewed writers, who were often romanticised or idealised in films. In the film, Capote - who also wrote the novella Breakfast at Tiffanys - is portrayed as a monster.
Brilliantly acted by Philip Seymour Hoffman (right), the writer is charming and humorous when he attempts to win the trust of the pair of murderers who committed the crime.
