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CRITICAL CONSENSUS
Though comparisons with last year's Capote may be
inevitable, Infamous takes a different angle in its
depiction of the author, and stands up well enough on its own.
SYNOPSIS
Hollywood studios are notorious for liberally borrowing ideas
from each other, with the resulting clutch of similarly-themed
films often bewildering the public as they try to decide which
movie to go and see. In 2005 Bennett Miller directed CAPOTE,
an Oscar-winning dramatization of Truman Capote's traumatic
experiences writing the celebrated novel IN COLD BLOOD. In
2006 Douglas McGrath (COMPANY MAN) directed INFAMOUS, a movie
that follows exactly the same premise. Although it's difficult
to see why such a story would need to be immortalized in
celluloid for a second time, McGrath does throw in a few
tricks to help separate the two films. Talking head interviews
with some of Capote's contemporaries, such as Gore Vidal and
Babe Paley, are used, and the movie has a lighter-almost
comedic at times-feel to it than Miller's movie.
The basic premise of INFAMOUS is
exactly the same as that of CAPOTE, so we witness Toby Jones's
Capote traveling from New York to Kansas, settling into the
town, interviewing the murderers, and developing an obsession
with one of them-Perry Smith (Daniel Craig). Despite the
similarities, salvation can be found in the performance of
Jones, who lights up the screen with a performance that
closely rivals Philip Seymour Hoffman's turn as the infamous
author. Other notable appearances come from Sandra Bullock,
who just about manages to nail Harper Lee; Sigourney Weaver
and Isabella Rossellini, who both camp up their roles as
socialites; Jeff Daniels as the detective who befriends
Capote; and Gwyneth Paltrow, who makes a brief appearance as
the singer Peggy Lee.
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