Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Melissa McCarthy is literary fraudster Lee Israel in this biopic from the director of The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Based on Israel's memoir.
Lee Israel made her living in the 1970s and 80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant, Gosford Park).
- Director:
- Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl')
- Writer:
- Nicole HolofcenerJeff Whitty
- Cast:
- Melissa McCarthyRichard E. GrantDolly WellsBen FalconeGregory KorostishevskyJane CurtinStephen SpinellaChristian Navarro
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Sarah Voon
flicksMelissa McCarthy is literary fraudster Lee Israel in this biopic that traces her descent into forgery alongside a burgeoning alcoholic friendship (Richard E. Grant co-stars).
Vulture
pressWhat 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.
Variety
pressMcCarthy's best performance to date, revealing haunting insights into friendship, loneliness, and creative insecurity.
The New York Times
pressPartly 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.
The Guardian
pressThere 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.
Stuff
pressAn entertaining and thoroughly engrossing take on what The New York Times' described as "a sordid and pretty darn fabulous book".
Rolling Stone
pressBelieve 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.
New Zealand Herald
pressThis is a neat little film bringing to light Israel's fascinating story, with excellent performances making it an enjoyable literary romp.
IndieWire
pressProvides 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.
Hollywood Reporter
pressMcCarthy's performance, which is paired with an equally rewarding turn by British actor Richard E. Grant, anchors this bizarre, compelling true story.
Flicks, Sarah Voon
flicksMelissa McCarthy is literary fraudster Lee Israel in this biopic that traces her descent into forgery alongside a burgeoning alcoholic friendship (Richard E. Grant co-stars).
Vulture
pressWhat 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.
Variety
pressMcCarthy's best performance to date, revealing haunting insights into friendship, loneliness, and creative insecurity.
The New York Times
pressPartly 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.
The Guardian
pressThere 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.
Stuff
pressAn entertaining and thoroughly engrossing take on what The New York Times' described as "a sordid and pretty darn fabulous book".
Rolling Stone
pressBelieve 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.
New Zealand Herald
pressThis is a neat little film bringing to light Israel's fascinating story, with excellent performances making it an enjoyable literary romp.
IndieWire
pressProvides 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.
Hollywood Reporter
pressMcCarthy's performance, which is paired with an equally rewarding turn by British actor Richard E. Grant, anchors this bizarre, compelling true story.
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