See It at the Movies

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

By JOYCE & DON FOWLER
Posted 11/14/18

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? * * * (True tale of forger) Melissa McCarthy stars as true-life author Lee Isreal, an unpopular author who finds herself unwanted, unloved, broke and with writer's block, living in a rundown apartment in New York City, where

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See It at the Movies

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Posted

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

* * * ½

(True tale of forger)

Melissa McCarthy stars as true-life author Lee Isreal, an unpopular author who finds herself unwanted, unloved, broke and with writer's block, living in a rundown apartment in New York City, where she is way behind on her rent. She has lost her job, alienated what few friends she had, gets fired from her job and her agent, and drinks heavily.

She sells a personal letter she had framed on her wall for food money. While researching material on a proposed biography of Fanny Bryce, which nobody is interested in, she discovers another personal note from an author. A light bulb goes off, as she schemes a plan to make up letters from favorite authors on old typewriters and sell the fakes to collectors. Along the way she befriends a down and out gay man (Richard E. Grant) who helps her in her crime and eventually betrays her. Lee pushes the envelope too far and finds the FBI breathing down her neck. The rest is history, with the final credits telling us of her fate.

McCarthy is very good as Isreal, in a somewhat toned down role for her. The movie moves slowly, letting us inside the world of collectors and sellers of celebrities personal items. The fact that it is true makes it more interesting.

Rated R, with profanity.

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