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    Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    • 20182018
    • RR
    • 1h 46min
    IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    49K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,826
    208
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    When bestselling celebrity biographer Lee Israel 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.
    Trailer2:35
    10 Videos
    99+ Photos
    BiographyComedyCrime

    When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.

    • Director
      • Marielle Heller
    • Writers
      • Nicole Holofcener(screenplay by)
      • Jeff Whitty(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Melissa McCarthy
      • Richard E. Grant
      • Dolly Wells
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Marielle Heller
    • Writers
      • Nicole Holofcener(screenplay by)
      • Jeff Whitty(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Melissa McCarthy
      • Richard E. Grant
      • Dolly Wells
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 254User reviews
    • 245Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 53 wins & 101 nominations total

    Videos10

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:35
    Official Trailer
    Can You Ever Forgive Me?
    Trailer 2:38
    Can You Ever Forgive Me?
    Oscar Buzz for 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'
    Clip 3:46
    Oscar Buzz for 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'
    5 Favorites From 2019 Oscars
    Clip 2:45
    5 Favorites From 2019 Oscars
    Bacon Strips, Trampoline Jumps Started Richard E. Grant's Oscar Day
    Interview 0:55
    Bacon Strips, Trampoline Jumps Started Richard E. Grant's Oscar Day
    Richard E. Grant Found "Lightning in a Bottle"
    Interview 1:07
    Richard E. Grant Found "Lightning in a Bottle"
    Richard E. Grant Found Lightning in a Bottle With Melissa McCarthy
    Video 3:39
    Richard E. Grant Found Lightning in a Bottle With Melissa McCarthy
    We Put Bradley Cooper, Melissa McCarthy, and Donald Glover in the Same Category
    Video 1:50
    We Put Bradley Cooper, Melissa McCarthy, and Donald Glover in the Same Category
    Melissa McCarthy Loves Playing Shifty Characters
    Video 3:16
    Melissa McCarthy Loves Playing Shifty Characters
    5 TIFF Films That Could Be Oscar Contenders
    Video 3:27
    5 TIFF Films That Could Be Oscar Contenders

    Photos228

    Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Melissa McCarthy and Dolly Wells in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Jane Curtin and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Melissa McCarthy, Dolly Wells, and Marielle Heller in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Melissa McCarthy and Marielle Heller in Women Directors on Set (2020)
    Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy at an event for Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, and Christian Navarro at an event for Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
    Melissa McCarthy at an event for Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Melissa McCarthy
    Melissa McCarthy
    • Lee Israelas Lee Israel
    Richard E. Grant
    Richard E. Grant
    • Jack Hockas Jack Hock
    Dolly Wells
    Dolly Wells
    • Annaas Anna
    Ben Falcone
    Ben Falcone
    • Alan Schmidtas Alan Schmidt
    Gregory Korostishevsky
    Gregory Korostishevsky
    • Andreas Andre
    Jane Curtin
    Jane Curtin
    • Marjorieas Marjorie
    Stephen Spinella
    Stephen Spinella
    • Paulas Paul
    Christian Navarro
    Christian Navarro
    • Kurtas Kurt
    Pun Bandhu
    Pun Bandhu
    • Agent Doyleas Agent Doyle
    Erik LaRay Harvey
    Erik LaRay Harvey
    • Agent Solanasas Agent Solanas
    Brandon Scott Jones
    Brandon Scott Jones
    • Glenas Glen
    Shae D'lyn
    Shae D'lyn
    • Nellas Nell
    Rosal Colon
    Rosal Colon
    • Rachelas Rachel
    • (as Rosal Colón)
    Anna Deavere Smith
    Anna Deavere Smith
    • Elaineas Elaine
    Marc Evan Jackson
    Marc Evan Jackson
    • Lloydas Lloyd
    Marcella Lowery
    Marcella Lowery
    • Guest at Partyas Guest at Party
    Roberta Wallach
    Roberta Wallach
    • Tom Clancy Groupieas Tom Clancy Groupie
    Tina Benko
    Tina Benko
    • Karenas Karen
    • Director
      • Marielle Heller
    • Writers
      • Nicole Holofcener(screenplay by)
      • Jeff Whitty(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In the early 1990s, Lee Israel, a biographer with a modicum of writing success, has fallen on hard times largely of her own doing. Her choice of subjects is in general not of interest to today's book buying public, and she, in her only true friends being her aged cat Jersey and a scotch and soda in not really liking people and people in turn not really liking her, has burned bridges with everyone her agent Marjorie has built for her. She will have to start from the ground up again if she wants a writing career, as, hiding behind her subjects, the book buying public will not buy a "Lee Israel" on the strength of her name in not knowing who she is as a writer or person. This situation has led to her being months behind in rent as she spends whatever little money she has on alcohol and Jersey's medical needs. In doing research for her latest book on Fanny Brice - with no advance from Marjorie - and selling a cherished personal memento of a handwritten letter from Katharine Hepburn in needing the money, Lee discovers there is a market for such celebrity memorabilia, and in the process decides, with her writing talent, to go into the fraudulent business of creating and selling fake personal documents purportedly by dead celebrities, especially of writers with strong public personas, such as Dorothy Parker and Noël Coward. She ends up befriending a gay past acquaintance from her literary circles, Jack Hock, also having fallen on hard times, Jack, not only becoming her drinking buddy, but her partner in crime. As they are able to get out of their financial holes in this business, Lee may begin to have second thoughts in also befriending Anna, one of the rare bookstore owners who likes Lee for Lee, an unusual position for her. But as the fraud looks like it may catch up specifically to Lee, she, feeling like these fakes are at least stretching her writing muscles, only becomes more resolute in at least the creative pursuit of what she's doing. —Huggo
    publisherdeceptionfraudforgerycat308 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Her greatest work will be her biggest crime.
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A pile of Lee Israel books ("Beyond the Magic", an unauthorized biography of Estée Lauder) are shown on sale at a bookstore for 75% off. Lauder was publishing her own memoirs and initially tried to pay Israel *not* to write her book, but she refused and rushed her book to publication. The autobiography was released in October 1985 and Israel's biography one month later. The book buying public chose to buy the Lauder autobiography rather than the Israel biography. Lee Israel later said she regretted not taking the money when it was first offered.
    • Goofs
      A couple of times we see the characters sitting in a bar, while a snowstorm is obviously occurring outside, but when they walk outside, there isn't any snow on the ground at all.
    • Quotes

      Lee Israel: I have been living in a state of enormous guilt and anxiety for the past year. Not because I felt like I was doing something wrong, but because I was always afraid of being found out. I can't specifically say that I regret my actions. I don't. I thoroughly enjoyed writing these letters, living in the world of Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward, pretending I was something I am not. In many ways, this has been the best time of my life. It's the only time recently I can remember being proud of the work I was doing. But it wasn't my work, was it? I was hiding behind these people, their names. Because if I'd actually put myself out there, done my own work, then I would be opening myself up to criticism. And I'm too much of a coward for all of that. I've lost my cat, the only soul that truly loved me, maybe ever. And I lost my friend, who might have been an idiot, but tolerated me, and was nice to have around. And I've realized that I'm not a real writer. In the end, it was not worth it.

    • Crazy credits
      As the closing credits start, they move to the left side of the screen and information about the protagonists appears on the right.
    • Alternate versions
      Ahead of the film's release in Australia, the distributor chose to pre-cut the film in order to obtain an M classification. These changes removed detail of hard drug misuse (cocaine snorting) through re-framing, and also removed the film's sole use of very strong language by re-dubbing the term with a milder phrase. The uncut international version was later approved for a DVD/Video release with an uncut MA15+ classification.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Graham Norton Show: Eddie Redmayne/Jude Law/Melissa McCarthy/Emma Stone/Rick Astley (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      I Thought Of You Last Night
      Written by Ralph Freed

      Performed by Jeri Southern

      Courtesy of Geffen Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews254

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Yes!
    I must first confess that I was pleasantly surprised by the exceptional performance of the actress Melissa McCarthy who is (was?) almost-systematically accustomed to cinematographic pieces of junk such as Life of the Party (2018), Ghostbusters (2016) or Charlie's Angels (2000). I sincerely hope that this film will mark a turning point in her career, with a before and an after.

    Then, the subject is not really bankable: no superhero, no sexy actress, no Computer-Generated Imagery. In addition, the main characters are two insignificant loosers who will attract the wrath of the FBI because of their secret activity of a two-penny faker and will then be within an inch of jail. Of course, with such a script, the movie will probably not be a hit at the world box-office.

    Nevertheless, the movie is delightfully excellent and describes with subtlety and sensitivity an ineluctable descent into the abyss. Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) was a writer with some success. One of her books was even mentioned in the New York Times best sellers. But, success is now part of the past and she regularly has huge difficulties in paying her rent. By chance, in an old book of a public library, she discovers a real typed letter from a well-known female writer. Begins then an improvised career of a scammer with false letters from real personalities that she skillfully engineers within her shabby apartment.

    As a synthesis, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) is excellent! 8/9 of 10
    helpful•59
    9
    • FrenchEddieFelson
    • Aug 5, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 2, 2018 (South Africa)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ти колись пробачиш мені?
    • Filming locations
      • Julius's, West 10th Street, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Archer Gray
      • Bob Industries
      • Fox Searchlight Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,803,865
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $161,510
      • Oct 21, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,442,161
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 46min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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