Can You Ever Forgive Me?

I'm a sucker for films about writers, especially ones who are struggling to make it - go figure. Melissa McCarthy plays Lee Israel, a writer we meet after she has penned two biographies. She gets fired from her current day job for drinking and her foul mouth. She is behind in her rent and she has a sick cat and can't pay her tab at the vet. After ranting to her literary agent (played by Jane Curtin) about Tom Clancy getting a three million dollar advance - it's funny stuff - her agent tells Israel she can't get her a ten dollar advance and needs to clean up her act. As Israel is doing research in a library she finds some old letters by someone famous in a book. She tacks on a funny PS of her own to one of the letters and then takes the letter into a used book store to sell. The store owner tells her that the PS really makes it. Thus Israel begins her criminal career of forging letters by people like Noel Coward and Dorothy Parker and selling them for a lot of money. This is based on a true story.
Melissa McCarthy won my heart for her performance in Bridesmaids (if you haven't seen it, it's really funny). McCarthy, like the late great Robin Williams, can go over-the-top and off the rails quickly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's too much. McCarthy was nominated for the Golden Globe and for an Oscar for her subdued work in this film. Williams won an Oscar when he wasn't over-the-top; maybe McCarthy will win too. And her co-star Richard E. Grant who was also nominated for both the Golden Globe and the Oscar is fabulous. His performance reminded me of his performance in one of my favourite films, Withnail & I. Catch Can You Ever Forgive Me at your local rep cinema or on streaming services soon.