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What Capote lacked, Infamous makes up for it.
by Cool2 (movies profile)
Feb 13, 2007
5
of
9 people found this review helpful
This is the reason I refrained myself from writing a review for Capote.I already heard there was another take on the Author,so I waited for that too.And at first,I didn't had any expectations for it but after watching Infamous,it shows that it is possible to make two movies on the same subject with both being equally good.
One cannot stop himself from comparing the two films.Where Capote was a rich,complex and sometimes uneven take on the author,Infamous is a more relaxed,stylish and just as brilliant take.The only difference is the performances.
In Capote,the film relied heavily on Hoffman's performance,who may not resemble a lot to Truman Capote,but he portrayed the character not the person's look.Looks didn't matter,Hoffman became the actual character of Truman Capote,his persona,his life,his feelings,his psychology was rivetingly explored.On the other hand British actor Toby Jones looks a great deal like Truman and it's kind of eerie that sometimes it looks like as if he really is Truman Capote.But like I said,looks don't matter.Jones looks ,talks,moves,and performs exactly like Capote,but he could not bring out the real character beneath the author.That's where Hoffman succeeds.But where Hoffman succeeds, the film falters.One of my biggest regret was that the film lacked strong supporting performances.Where Infamous succeeds on that regard.
This film focuses more on Capote's lifestyle and it's satiric take also makes it far challenging than Capote.Here, the supporting performances are terrific.The future James Bond Daniel Craig's performance was something to really praise about.Cliffton's Perry Smith was effective,but Craig's portrayal of Perry Smith is something of a marvel.He gets the real character.Where Cliffton only noticed the soft sides of Perry,Craig portrays both the dark and soft sides of the character.And most critics are right,that he does deserve a nomination.My other regret was that the character of Harper Lee was underwritten and I was unimpressed the way they treated the character.It was just ignored and not as much focused as Capote or Perry.But certainly,Keener really brings the character to life in her own way,but still in an unsatisfying way.Here,it's a more focused character giving a richly touching performance by Bullock,a total surprise.
In some ways both films are incomplete when they are exploring Capote's life.Both film don't delve much into the time when he was suffering and just gives us the outline not the complete picture.However,I suggest you watch both films ,and maybe then you'll get the whole picture.And
I think this is just as brilliant if not slightly better film than Capote.Capote was a really effective and good film made plausible due to Hoffman.But if Infamous had released first,it sure would've gotten the accolades and nomination for Jones,which he still deserves one,and of course for Daniel Craig.Both films are good,neither are great or better than each other.They are balanced.Capote was somewhat overrated.This is a sad,darker film with touch of light moments.And the Perry Smith-Capote relationship is much explored here,where it felt half-complete in Capote.
Director Douglas Mcgrath is just as good as Bennet Miller when handling tough,challenging scenes.But Miller was more talented.He had a much more intriguing vision.But Mcgrath's funny touches and emotional context needs to be praised as well.And his ability to give us a film as good as a widely praised film,and making a great film on the same subject.He made Infamous more entertaining than Capote,and a more commercial film,s that everyone can actually get involved with the film's detailing of the accounts.He does his part.The rest of the cast,comprising of great talents was adequate ,giving a better supporting hand than Capote.
So Infamous is just as authentic and rich as Capote.It's third act will leave you surprised and there are vast differences over the two.But if you think Capote was a more accurate and far better film,then you should watch this one first.What Capote lacks,Infamous makes up for it.And what Infamous lacks ,Capote makes up for it.It's great to have two films essaying on a character,and giving us a great amount of detail and full account on the events. |
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