Can You Ever Forgive Me?
classified 15Please note: This was screened in March 2019
Oscar® nominee Melissa McCarthy forges a magnificent performance in this shaggy, melancholic true story of the best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel, who found an unlikely new source of income as a literary forger.
Lee Israel made her living in the 1970s and 80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, and Estee Lauder – but as she fell out of step with current tastes, her publisher stopped calling, the alcohol started flowing, and the money soon dried up. Desperate for a source of income, Lee found herself carving out a new career as a forger of celebrity letters, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Oscar® nominee Richard E. Grant).
Based on a memoir written by Israel herself, Can You Ever Forgive Me is a fascinating black comedy supported by career best performances from Grant and McCarthy, allowing McCarthy’s breadth as an actor to shine in this rich, quietly dramatic role.