They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but things get sticky when the flattery turns into forgery.
American writer Lee Israel, who passed away in 2014, knew this repercussion all too well. A former celebrity biographer who penned literary works for Katherine Hepburn and Estée Lauder, Lee’s infamy came not from her books, but from her late in life bad behavior. In her confessional memoir turned film adaptation, directed by Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Can You Ever Forgive Me? stars Melissa McCarthy stars as the desperate and damaged Lee Israel in a dynamic role that is sure to land on the early Best Actress prediction lists.
When we are introduced to Brooklyn-born Lee Israel (McCarthy) in the early 90s, she is living in the shadow of her previous biographies and is struggling to land another NY Times best-seller. Her agent (Jane Curtain) doesn’t return calls, her rent is due, and her 12-year-old cat needs surgery. Anxiety-ridden and depressed, Lee turns to alcohol for the temporary escape from the reality of her situation, which is that she needs money, and fast. What starts as an exercise in creative writing soon leads Lee to embark on a dark and unethical secret of creating forged letters from literary greats and selling them to bookstores and art collectors as authentic works for cash. For a while, it worked… until it didn’t.
A recluse by choice, Lee’s uncharacteristic friendship with fellow author Jack (Richard E. Grant) is the film’s emotional anchor and comedic relief. Contrary to Lee’s brash and brazen ways, Jack is larger than life and flamboyant in both his personality and mannerisms, making him a character we can’t help but love. Lee ropes Jack into helping with her illegal operation when the FBI starts catching wind of her scheme which now, coupled with Jack’s sales schmoozing, produced over 400 fake letters sold for hundreds of dollars apiece.
The story of the notorious Lee Israel deserved a big screen production, and I would venture to guess that she would be pleased to see her name back in headlines.
Melissa McCarthy completely transforms into Lee Israel, from her frumpy attire to unflattering bowl haircut. Her performance really shines towards the end of the film when she is forced to take accountability for her actions and face the repercussions, for both her criminal ways and in her strained friendship with Jack. It is clear in Can You Ever Forgive Me? that Lee was a complicated woman and McCarthy explores all these layers throughout the film. Lee’s sympathy toward the people she duped was limited, as she said in her memoir “I still consider the letters to be my best work.” It’s this attitude that makes Lee not necessarily a likable character, but a very relatable one. A traditional protagonist who does a 180 after learning a life lesson was clearly never director Marielle Heller’s intention, and this complex character arc brings out the best in McCarthy’s dramatic capabilities, perhaps making one of her strongest performances to date.
Literary forgery isn’t the most exciting crime to see play out on screen, and the thrill of typing letters is only so adrenaline-producing. The overall story is a fascinating one, though watching it unfold feels a bit slow at times, anti-climactic even. However, the story of the notorious Lee Israel deserved a big screen production, and I would venture to guess that she would be pleased to see her name back in headlines.
106 min. ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ is rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use. Now playing at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark.
