As a moviegoer, one of my sincere delights is to be taken out of myself and brought into the world of the movie; in this respect, capote is one of the most delightful films I have ever seen. Those of you who have seen this film may be shocked by my choice of words because Capote is not a “feel-good” movie. Rather, it is a “feel-different” movie. It is exhilarating; it is transfixing. Unlike mindless movies that entertain without engaging your brain, capote takes you to a realm where you are encouraged to rethink your prejudices.

Like its namesake, Capote is clever. It encourages or indulges our prejudices—about homosexuals, about intellectuals, about class distinctions, about killers, about the law—to help us challenge them. If you are like me, then you will begin by judging Capote and the accused killers. You may identify with Chris Cooper’s character, Alvin Dewey, who is seeking justice. You may hold out hope that Perry is innocent, but you may also hope that the “truth” will surface so that “justice” can be served. During the movie, you—with Capote—will learn what really happened in that farmhouse (if you don’t already know). But one of the overarching questions of the movie is whether “truth” is actually comprehensible. Can any of us really understand the experiences of someone else? And if we can, then does this knowledge bring comfort or pain?

Some may be very uncomfortable during certain moments in the movie because the richly drawn atmospheres will draw you irresistibly into the scene. You become an accomplice of Truman Capote, who is played flawlessly by Philip Seymour Hoffman. (Hoffman won the “Best Actor” Academy Award for this technically and emotionally compelling performance.) But you may also come to identify with the other lead characters—Harper Lee, Perry Smith, and Alvin—who are equally well cast. These powerful characters serve as foils to Capote; each offers a unique perspective by which to evaluate Capote. They should also help you evaluate yourself.

If you are a Christian, then you may initially reject Capote’s lifestyle and personality. This movie, however, may prompt you to realize that you and he “are not so different as you might think.” Since the context for these words is quite different (the quotation originally refers to Capote’s identification with Perry), you may resist my comparisons; you may resist my attempt to help you empathize with Capote and Perry. After all, both characters are extremely abnormal and you, I presume, might consider yourself more mainstream or at least less disturbed. But if you fail to identify with these characters, at least on some level, then you are probably failing to admit your own frailty.

I challenge you to see Capote. You will definitely be transported; I hope you will be transformed.