This monologue opens in a stylish New York hotel suite above the biggest party in town, Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in 1966. At the height of his fame, after the publication of In Cold Blood, Capote (Patrick Moy) prowls around, answering the phone but ignoring the knocks at his door. We do not know what the trigger is but he begins to reflect on his life and literary philosophies.
Writer-director Andrew O’Hagan has great form as an elegant and rigorous novelist and the script showcases plenty of both qualities. The problem is that his Capote ruminates too aimlessly, hopping from one thing to the next as if O’Hagan seeks to cover all the bases of Capote’s life. As he talks and walks in circles, none of it builds in action, drama or form.
