Tuesday, March 4, 2008

CAPOTE (PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, CATHERINE KEENER; 2005)


THERE'S NO ARGUMENT THAT THE ACTING IN THIS FILM ISN'T ANYTHING SHY OF ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. THIS MOVIE WAS ALSO FASCINATING BECAUSE IT INFORMS THE VIEWER OF THOSE LITTLE DETAILS WHICH WERE OVERLOOKED BY OUR ENGLISH TEACHERS. FOR EXAMPLE, I NEVER KNEW THAT TRUMAN CAPOTE TRUMPED RICHARD SIMMONS AS THE MOST OBNOXIOUS HOMOSEXUAL TO EVER WALK THE PLANET....AND IT TURNS OUT HARPER LEE WAS A WOMAN. UGLY AS SHIT RUN OVER TWICE, BUT A WOMAN NONETHELESS. I WOULD'VE NEVER GUESSED THAT A LADY WHO COULDN'T SEDUCE A POGO-STICK COULD'VE SO WELL CAPTURED RACISM AND, NAMELY, GENDER ROLES IN THE DEEP SOUTH (SEE TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD). ANYWAY, WITH MY ABSURDLY OPEN-MINDED VIEWS ASIDE, THIS FILM IS AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING, NEW CLASSIC, AND WORTH RENTING IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT ALREADY. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH HOFFMAN REIGN AS A SLOVENLY FORMER CHILD STAR IN ALONG CAME POLLY, I RECOMMEND INCUDING THAT IN YOUR QUEUE AS WELL. VERY DIFFERENT, YET STILL, A HEART-WRENCHING PORTRAYAL OF ANOTHER HORRIBLY FLAWED CHARACTER. -TMJ

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