Can You Ever Forgive Me?

What is on paper a small-time heist film in the vein of the Coen Brothers or Breaking Bad is ultimately a cover for a more observant and relatable portrait of loneliness.

McCarthy's best performance to date, revealing haunting insights into friendship, loneliness, and creative insecurity.

Partly because the movie is so splendidly and completely absorbed in its characters and their milieu, it communicates much more than a quirky appreciation for old books and odd readers.

There is a melancholic atmosphere to the film at large, a frankness about the impossibility of dreams and the importance of growing old without shackling one's self to an idealised notion of what life will be.

An entertaining and thoroughly engrossing take on what The New York Times' described as "a sordid and pretty darn fabulous book".

Believe the Oscar buzz for Melissa McCarthy in this true story of an out-of-work author who took up forgery to pay the bills. McCarthy shows she has what it takes to tackle drama and comedy and all stops in between: the power to amaze.

This is a neat little film bringing to light Israel's fascinating story, with excellent performances making it an enjoyable literary romp.

Provides the ideal template for McCarthy to project her talents onto a more sophisticated plane, and - complemented by a top-notch Richard E. Grant as Israel's partner-in-crime - she rises to the occasion.

McCarthy's performance, which is paired with an equally rewarding turn by British actor Richard E. Grant, anchors this bizarre, compelling true story.