You know you're watching a bad movie when the commentary track is more interesting than the original. Director Douglas McGrath did a lot of research and reveals some fascinating details he learned here and there. The problem is he simply isn't able to realize that sense of wonder and historical sweep with any kind of urgency on the screen. And, of course, the movie suffers from unfortunate comparisons to 'Capote', a film of exactly the same subject matter from a year or so earlier. (McGrath never mentions it. 'Infamous' seems so appallingly derivative, I wouldn't either.) There are numerous scenes here that seem like pale copies of ones from 'Capote' (Truman discovers the item in the paper, the news conference, visiting the detective's home, walking the suspects up the courthouse steps, etc...), except in 'Capote' they're more visually interesting and dramatic, most likely because they were made with better actors, writers, and a director. Yes, McGrath is capable of some wonderful anecdotes, but not such great moviemaking, and this gallingly unoriginal film reveals it all too well.

Of note is how he admits that many of the scenes only occurred only in his imagination, including the sexual encounters between Capote and inmate Perry Smith (played by Daniel Craig). He does not know if it happened that way or not, but he thinks it likely did from Capote's notes. He speaks about his research a lot, letting us know that this was a carefully crafted film based on fact, but there are many gaps where inferences need to be made.

And some of the best parts are where he talks about stories of Capote's friends and associates that did not make it into the script, but definitely add to the story and character.

Surprisingly he never mentions the other film, Capote, once. Every review certainly mentions it, as it came out first, and won many Oscars.