Can You Ever Forgive Me?
DVD - 2019
MPAA rating: R; for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use.
Lee Israel made her living in the 1970s and 1980s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. Though Lee Israel has undeniable profiling skills, her work has grown stale and hackneyed, rendering her profession unnecessary and insignificant. Now in times of financial hardship, Israel must find other ways to make a living. With assistance from her steadfast friend, Jack, the two endeavor to keep Israel afloat. With a dose of trickery and deceptive eye, they do just that.
Lee Israel made her living in the 1970s and 1980s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. Though Lee Israel has undeniable profiling skills, her work has grown stale and hackneyed, rendering her profession unnecessary and insignificant. Now in times of financial hardship, Israel must find other ways to make a living. With assistance from her steadfast friend, Jack, the two endeavor to keep Israel afloat. With a dose of trickery and deceptive eye, they do just that.
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Publisher:
Beverly Hills, CA : 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, [2019].
Characteristics:
1 videodisc (106 minutes) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in.
stamping
4 3/4 in.,color
digital
optical
surround
stereo
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dolby Digital 2.0
NTSC
video file
DVD video
Region 1
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Quotes
Add a Quote***SPOILER ALERT***
PS text at the end of the film:
Lee forged and sold approximately 400 letters. Two of Lee's forgeries were included in Noël Coward's 2007 biography. They were removed by the second printing. Nora Ephron sent a cease and desist letter to Lee, demanding that she stop impersonating her on the phone. When summoned for jury duty later in life, Lee replied: "I am a convicted felon and thereby ineligible to serve. Who said crime doesn't pay?" Jack Hock passed away on 10/19/94, having been lovingly looked after by members of the Gay Men's Health Crisis Center. The New York Times called Lee Israel's book: CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? : MEMOIRS OF A LITERARY FORGER a "sordid and pretty damned fabulous book."
Comment
Add a CommentI really enjoyed this movie - I loved Melissa's salty humour & potty mouth - she played a great curmudgeon. Loved Richard E. Grant as Melissa's side-kick ....dapper with just the right amount of "Sprezzatura" and a wit to match Melissa's....but what I loved most of all was the music....which unfortunately wasn't released as a Soundtrack ....so I'm hunting the tracks down & compiling my own CD soundtrack. :( ....but it'll be well worth it.
Melissa McCarthy is amazing in this! My heart was pounding for some of it. Crazy that it's based on a true story, too!
I like movies based on true stories. I enjoyed the movie. Melissa McCarthy was nominated for best actress, and I can see why.
Her partner in crime, was very good too. Two very interesting, but sad and sometimes amusing characters.
I have mixed feelings about this film. Melissa McCarthy gave an amazing performance as the cantankerous, lonely writer Lee Israel. Richard E. Grant was also excellent as her enabling friend. Watching Melissa's character struggle with her career and her descent into criminal behaviour was fascinating and compelling. I didn't really enjoy the movie much, however, because the character Lee Israel was so unlikeable and much of her behaviour was so loathsome. So while I found the performances outstanding and I'm glad I watched it, it's not a whole lot of fun. It was very good, but you'd have to be in the right mood to watch this dour, sad film.
I like films ‘based on a true story’. I didn’t know anything about Lee Israel. Melissa McCarthy did a good job being a mean, isolated curmudgeon. It’s curious to me that comedians are put into serious roles. The other side of their comedic face comes out.
Story okay but Filthy McCarthy strikes again.
Interesting movie. Good acting.
Good characters, sad and funny.
I thought this movie was quite good. Melissa McCarthy and Jack Grant were great in it. I had never seen many movies with Melissa and now I am a fan. It had a lot of funny parts. It is a true story.
I agree with previous reviewers. The two main characters are vile people, the woman lives in self imposed filth, gets drunk constantly, swears and the are both criminals. Whoever thought anyone would want to watch this, must have a twisted mind. Don’t even bother taking it home, you’ll feel like you need a shower just watching part of it.