Tag Archives: true crime

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

11 Nov

Based on the book of the same name, Can You Ever Forgive Me marks director Marielle Heller‘s sophomore feature film, following up on 2015’s excellent Diary of A Teenage Girl. 

The film follows Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel, an aged New York author going through a rough financial patch. Unable to write anything her publisher is satisfied with, Lee decides to sell off some her valuable memorabilia – mostly signed letters from famous authors she has collected over the years. The quick-and-easy cash she accumulates as a result soon gives her the idea of forging fake documents and passing them off as real collectibles. Soon, a distant acquaintance named Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant) enters the picture, and the two form a friendship over booze, writing, and fraudulent activity.

McCarthy, mostly known for her comedic work in films like Bridesmaids, The Heat, and 2016’s Ghostbusters remake, seems absurdly perfect to play the part of Lee; she absolutely steals up every scene she is in, giving a subtle but memorable performance as the depressed writer down on her luck.  Grant provides a nice counterpoint, and the two together make an endearing and engaging criminal couple. Most of Can You Ever Forgive Me? plays out like a great conversation with an old friend, complimented with good food and lots of alcohol. The strength of Jeff Whitty and Nicole Holofcener’s script is evident here, and the nuanced way Heller brings in the emotional beats of the story is very remarkable.

Though the film gets bogged down a bit in its later half, McCarthy brings a welcome authenticity into her role which makes her character instantly relatable. Hardly comparable to anything with the “crime genre” label, Heller’s film never reaches the dramatic highs and lows a traditional true-crime hollywood movie would employ – opting instead for a quieter character study of loneliness and desperation.

Bottom Line: While parts of Can You Ever Forgive Me? drag a little longer than they should, Marielle Heller’s sophomore feature shines with plenty of emotion, humanity, and a stellar performance from Melissa McCarthy. 


Rating: 7/10

Film Recipe: Beginners + Certain Women + Inside Llewyn Davis