Can You Ever Forgive Me?
— The story of Lee Israel, an author of well-written biographies whose work is no longer desired. To make ends meet, she begins forging letters by literary notables and selling them as authentic. Melissa McCarthy’s perfect in the role, abandoning her usual shtick for something less physical and more reserved. Israel’s not a very likable person, preferring to interact with booze and her cat instead of with people. In fact, lonely and alienated, she’s downright prickly, feisty, and ill-tempered, but she knows how to write and the success of her clever forgeries gives her a sense of pride, and highlights her creative skills. Of course, misanthropic as she is, she manages to form a bond with another damaged soul, making for some interesting interactions. It’s a fascinating story but, more importantly, it deals with universal issues, reminding us there’s a bit of quiet desperation in everyone and more that a little in some, that everyone questions their self-worth and, in mid-life, feels they’ve accomplished neither what they expected nor what they should have and, eventually, that there may be value in human interaction. The film also benefits from a palette of comfortable colors and a circa 1990 Manhattan look and vibe, in addition to wonderful music. I'm glad I saw it.
[2018. 106 min. Directed by Marielle Heller. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, and Dolly Wells.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/can-you-ever-forgive-me-2018
Finally saw this the other night and, as I suspected, I thought that the story could be told in a better paced and more compelling way in half the time. The slowness, especially early on, made it feel more depressing than it needed to feel. Nonetheless, I agree that Melissa McCarthy was excellent in the role, as was Richard E. Grant as "Jack"; in fact, I felt that Grant stole every scene he was in, and am glad that he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the Oscars. And yes, the music was great!
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