‘Masterfully performed’ period drama based on ‘harrowing’ true story now streaming
The movie is based on an incredible true story
Fans of period drama and true crime on Prime Video can’t miss out on this intriguing film, after others have enjoyed a "masterpiece" TV series and an "incredible" costume drama.
Released in 2005, the biographical piece was hailed for its lead performance and hard-hitting story.
Many have praised the drama on IMDb, with one person posting in their 10/10 review: “Beautifully told, masterfully performed, harrowing, amusing, cruel, moving. A sensational achievement. I sat there disturbed and transfixed. Witnessing the impossible.”
A second 10/10 review with the title: “Beautiful film about human ugliness” was praised as “excellent” and compared to Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird.
The viewer said of the comparison to the literary classic: “it makes you think about how we, personally and as a society, attempt to brush under the rug the disturbing events that force, if not indeed blast, their way into our lives”.
A third waxed lyrical as they described the film as “just about perfect”. The audience member explained: “It's very rare that I watch a film that truly mesmerizes [sic] me. It's even rarer for me to write a review that doesn't have me reaching for the thesaurus to find synonyms for "cliché".
“I often feel that everything I watch is just a re-hashing of something else (possibly a sign of encroaching middle age?). But I truly thought this was one of the best films, and one of the most original, that I've seen in a long time.”
Someone else titled their review: “Morbidly fascinating, impeccably-acted film” and went on to say it was a “calculating, well-observed but chilly” movie.
Capote was a biographical film about American writer Truman Capote, starring the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role.
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The movie follows Capote as he writes his bestselling nonfiction book In Cold Blood, which charts the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Kansas.
Capote itself was adapted from the 1988 biography of the same name by Gerald Clarke.
The author travelled to Kansas to covering the killings with his childhood friend Nelle Harper Lee (played Catherine Keener).
However, during his investigation and research for the book, Capote forms a strange attachment to one of the killers.
The film was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Hoffman walked away with Best Actor for his turn in Capote and many praised him.
One person said: “Phillip Seymour Hoffman was the kind of actor who, because of his physical appearance and demeanor [sic], rarely was given the opportunity to take on a title role. Here, at last, was a stand out exception to that rule!
“In Capote, Hoffman was able to show us his true artistic ability. The Result: A well- deserved Oscar as best actor.”
Another hailed the star as “terrific” and elaborated: “Hoffman mimics Capote's posture, voice, facial expressions, and overall mannerisms quite well. It's a great impersonation.
“But, towards the film's end when Capote has to say goodbye for the last time, Hoffman's portrayal of Capote's grief and helplessness goes well beyond parody. It's an example of genuine acting ability.”
A third person wrote on IMDb: “See this movie for Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance. It is one of the greatest in cinematic history. We remember Capote. He is Capote!”
Capote (2005) is streaming on Prime Video for a fee