Can You Ever Forgive Me?

100 Movies In 100 Days
Movie 15 Day 15
Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Flying home from Florida, I was able to watch Can You Ever Forgive Me. I didn't know much about the movie but I enjoy everything Melissa McCarthy is in. I was interested to see if the film could stand up to the Oscar hype. I was unaware it was based on a true story and it gave me more interest in the film. I'm always curious about the Based On A True Story because real life is always so interesting. Who needs fiction when people create their own drama everyday!?

The premise of Can You Ever Forgive Me is Melissa McCarthy plays Lee Israel, an author who is down on her luck. She is a difficult woman to work with and would rather spend her days drunk, hanging out with her cat. As an author, she specialized in the biographies of famous people. She was known for her voice, she became the people she was writing about. She was able to capture their emotions and "voice". Years later, Lee is washed up, broke, and can't get a writing contract because she's too difficult to work with. You burn a bunch of bridges when you drink on the job and belittle everyone you meet. Once Lee is down to her last few dollars, she sells a personal letter from a famous person written to her. She ends up getting some good money for the letter.  Lee realizes, people pay a lot of money for persona letters from famous people. Remember, Lee is brilliant at capturing others people's literary voice. She starts to forge letters and sells them all over New York City, making a ton of money along the way.

Melissa McCarthy is tragically unlikable and I mean that in the best possible way. She isn't supposed to be someone you want to succeed. She is selfish and horrible but we realize it's because she has no one to trust. Melissa is haunting as Lee. She brings the character depth and justifies her actions. Melissa earned her second Oscar nomination for this film and she completely deserves it. I forgot I was watching the same woman that made me laugh so hard I cried during Spy. I think people forget what a fantastic dramatic actor she really is. Can You Ever Forgive Me was Melissa's moment to shine and shine brightly she does!

Richard E. Grant plays Jack Hock. He is Lee's only friend and he's not a very good one. He's a hustler and a scam artist but he's charming and funny while he does it. Grant plays Jack beautifully and effortlessly. Grant is transformed into a character you should disapprove of but instead you are cheering for him. You want to see what other scam he can pull off next. Grant is also nominated for an Oscar and I would love to see him win. He gives a stellar performance that is tragic and hilarious.

I was incredibly impressed how director Marielle Heller represented Lee and Jack's sexuality. Both the characters are homosexual but it's filmed it a way that doesn't put too much focus on it. It was natural and neither character judged the other too harshly. So often a character's sexuality is made the central focus of that character. Heller allowed these characters to be so much more than their sexual preference.  They were interesting and not defined by who they loved. It was there but in a natural way. Beautifully done.

Over all a heavy but well done drama.