Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception. An adaptation of the memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel.

Director:

Marielle Heller

Writers:

Nicole Holofcener (screenplay by), Jeff Whitty (screenplay by)

Stars:

Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 12 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melissa McCarthy	...	Lee Israel
Richard E. Grant	...	Jack Hock
Dolly Wells	...	Anna
Ben Falcone	...	Alan Schmidt
Gregory Korostishevsky	...	Andre
Jane Curtin	...	Marjorie
Stephen Spinella	...	Paul
Christian Navarro	...	Kurt
Pun Bandhu	...	Agent Doyle
Erik LaRay Harvey	...	Agent Solonas
Brandon Scott Jones	...	Glen
Shae D'lyn	...	Nell
Rosal Colon	...	Rachel
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Elaine
Marc Evan Jackson	...	Lloyd

Storyline

Following the critical and commercial failure of her biography of Estée Lauder, author Lee Israel struggles with financial troubles, writer's block and alcoholism. With her agent unable to secure her an advance for a new biography, Israel is forced to sell her possessions to cover her expenses; she sells a personal letter she received from Katharine Hepburn to Anna, a local book dealer. While conducting research for a novel about Fanny Brice, Israel happens upon a letter from Brice folded in a book, which she takes and offers to sell to Anna. She offers Israel a low price due to the letter's lack of interesting content. Israel begins to forge and sell letters by deceased writers, playwrights, and actors, lacing them with intimate details to command a higher price. Anna, who is a fan of Israel's own writing, attempts to initiate a romantic relationship with her, but is rebuffed..

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Plot Keywords:

based on a memoir | publisher | deception | fraud | forgery | 

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 2018 (South Africa)

Also Known As:

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Filming Locations:

West 81st Street in New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$161,510, 21 October 2018, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,115,860, 13 December 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Archer Gray,Fox Searchlight Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A pile of Lee Israel books ("Beyond the Magic", an unauthorized biography of Estee 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's autobiography rather than the Israel's biography. Lee Israel later said she regretted not taking the money when it was first offered.

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Goofs

The word " backstory " is used, despite not being widely used at the time this story takes place.

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Quotes

Lounge Singer: This next song goes out to all the agoraphobic junkies who couldn't be here tonight.

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Connections

Referenced in The Graham Norton Show: Eddie Redmayne/Jude Law/Melissa McCarthy/Emma Stone/Rick Astley (2018)

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Soundtracks

Steeple
Written by Alexander McCabe
Performed by Alexander McCabe

User Reviews

A thoughtful, refreshing comedic drama with a stellar central performance

Stellar performances and strong writing/direction present a refreshing blend of subtly unique outsider characters (Lee and Jack have great chemistry-just wish there was another dialogue with Anna), fringe city settings (dilapidated apartments, smoky bars, dusty bookstores), and-with equal parts humour and tragedy-themes of loneliness, poverty, and the search for happiness (see Lee enjoying the music at the pub). The courtroom climax is a bit contrived, but the bar reunion afterwards is perfect.