Capote

So, Jennifer and I went to see Capote the other day. While Jennifer didn't really like it, I was struck by this quiet, interesting film that has garnered Philip Seymore Hoffman more than a few acting awards. First off, his performance is brilliant. Not like I knew Truman Capote or anything, but I've seen pictures and I knew some of his work. I also know the roles that Philip Seymore Hoffman has played and the two just didn't line up. I mean, how do you make a guy who was a greasy man who ran a phone sex outfit in Punch Drunk Love play this gay, frail looking, brilliant writer?

Well, I'm not sure how he did it, but he was excellent in the role. It's a crying shame if he doesn't get the Oscar for Best Actor after this role. I was also struck by just how quiet the movie was. It was nice to take a break from the over the top, "beat the theme into your head" type of movies that have graced the cinema as of late. What a relief to have a movie that just tells the story, with a small score in the background that plays only when absolutely necessary. The story was allowed to unfold and with moments rather than broad gestures and over acted scenes. The plot was reduced to a single idea. How a man would come to write his most famous and greatest work and how that process both changed him and led to his self destruction. I thought it was an amazing work.

If you have yet to go see this film, and you don't mind a slower movie that invites you to watch it unfold, then I highly recommend that you do.