Directed by Marielle Heller, the true story follows Melissa McCarthy as the best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel. The movie is written by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty and is based on Israel’s memoir.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? starts after Israel made her living in the 1970s and 80s, profiling celebrities such as Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder, and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen.
Lee can no longer be published because, according to her memoir and movie, she has fallen out of step with current sensitivities. She decides to turn her talent into deception, aided by her loyal friend Jack, played by Richard E. Grant.
Heller is also an actor and earned several fellowships for her writing talent. A Diary of a Teenage Girl was her breakout movie as both writer and director, earning several awards, including the Spirit Award for Best First Feature Film.
The latest poster shows the main character, Israel, working in her office with a cascade of typewriters. I presume she used them to forge the letters.
I interviewed Nicole Holofcener over ten years ago and found it fate that she contributed to the screenplay. One particular comment I remember from my interview with Holofcener was about writing for film, “When I am writing, I am directing. I imagine every writer does because the picture is being said in a very specific way. The tone. Yes, I am always aware of how I would like it to look when writing it.”
Can You Forgive Me? appears to be Whitty’s first writing credit for a movie. He Won a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Avenue Q. He also has several acting credits in both film and television.
These two featurettes talk about the main two characters playing off each other and the creativity of creating a 1981 look for the film.
The featurette shows how the director and McCarthy worked together to create Lee Israel.
Melissa McCarthy plays this scene so well with Ben Falcone. The narrowly used bookstore gives a foreboding presence.
The movie clip shows McCarthy’s talent. This movie looks good; hopefully, it moves along and keeps the audience interested.
The Elevator Pitch Featurette is priceless and tells us the story and scenes of the dynamic cast. I love this director.
McCarthy is taking on a severe subject compared to her usual comedic roles. I hope the movie does well for her career and all the talent involved.
I connected with the director, and I am unsure why, but I like her persona. She’s young with an exceptional future ahead of her.
I like perusing used bookstores. I found some autographed first prints and such. I understand what it is like to find a collector’s item. I discovered from visiting used bookstores that each bookstore has a distinct personality.
Melissa McCarthy received several nominations for her portrayal of Lee Israel. She is stellar in this movie. I saw it the other night and am impressed with her acting ability. The story itself is not that entertaining. But seeing McCarthy and Grant act together is delightful and compelling.
If you haven’t seen it, now is our chance to see it because the Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming are available.