CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
This fact-based story of biography author Lee Israel's fall into a life of forgery is a fascinating one. Marielle Heller's movie (based largely on Israel's own account) takes a subdued approach. Set in the early 90s, the movie is an almost bucolic version of New York City with warm digital photography by Brandon Trost, and, largely, a retro soundtrack full of Cole Porter, Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington tunes. Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty's script similarly tries to warm up the often prickly Israel (played by Melissa McCarthy).
Despite some success in the past with Biographies of Dorthy Kilgallen and others, Israel's career is in a downward spiral after her flop book on Estee Lauder (the makeup tycoon rushed her own tome out to crush Israel's). Further, Israel's personality is so caustic that she literally has become the crotchety old cat lady - unemployable and unlovable. Fate intervenes when, while researching a future book, Israel stumbles upon authentic letters by well know writers and personalities. She steals them and sells them to collector's. On the personal front, she meets up with a gay habitue of the scene, Jack (Richard E. Grant). Together, they strike up an odd relationship based as much on mutual misery (and drinking) as any real affection. Once Israel discovers that she can pay her bills by selling purloined letters, she sets up an even larger scheme - outright forgery (the amount of outright thievery of legit letters is downplayed).
The screenplay lays things out in a neat and orderly manner, even if none of it really gains any momentum. Heller's direction is fine, if unfussy, but makes some curious choices later in the movie with jarring music choices, including a tune by the hard-rocking The Pixies. Great band, but, those more modern sounds seem to come from nowhere stylistically wise (everything else in the movie remains as subdued as before).
What keeps the movie flowing are the performances. McCarthy has been justly lauded for her sympathetic acting, if a bit too much (some have fallen into the trap of over-praising a "comedian playing straight"; haven't these folks seen here fine work in ST.VINCENT just a couple of years back?). While you can sometimes see the seams in McCarthy's performance, Grant glides with ease. While both individuals are clearly gay, only Grant's Jack gets to be overtly so. I guess it's more 'enjoyable' to the arthouse crowd to watch his flamboyance as opposed to Israel's dowdy repression. Dolly Wells is excellent as a mousy bookseller.
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? tells its basic tale well, even if its a bit too orderly (ironic, because one of the critiques of Israel's own writing was that it lacked personality), but McCarthy and Grant make it worthwhile.
This fact-based story of biography author Lee Israel's fall into a life of forgery is a fascinating one. Marielle Heller's movie (based largely on Israel's own account) takes a subdued approach. Set in the early 90s, the movie is an almost bucolic version of New York City with warm digital photography by Brandon Trost, and, largely, a retro soundtrack full of Cole Porter, Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington tunes. Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty's script similarly tries to warm up the often prickly Israel (played by Melissa McCarthy).
Despite some success in the past with Biographies of Dorthy Kilgallen and others, Israel's career is in a downward spiral after her flop book on Estee Lauder (the makeup tycoon rushed her own tome out to crush Israel's). Further, Israel's personality is so caustic that she literally has become the crotchety old cat lady - unemployable and unlovable. Fate intervenes when, while researching a future book, Israel stumbles upon authentic letters by well know writers and personalities. She steals them and sells them to collector's. On the personal front, she meets up with a gay habitue of the scene, Jack (Richard E. Grant). Together, they strike up an odd relationship based as much on mutual misery (and drinking) as any real affection. Once Israel discovers that she can pay her bills by selling purloined letters, she sets up an even larger scheme - outright forgery (the amount of outright thievery of legit letters is downplayed).
The screenplay lays things out in a neat and orderly manner, even if none of it really gains any momentum. Heller's direction is fine, if unfussy, but makes some curious choices later in the movie with jarring music choices, including a tune by the hard-rocking The Pixies. Great band, but, those more modern sounds seem to come from nowhere stylistically wise (everything else in the movie remains as subdued as before).
What keeps the movie flowing are the performances. McCarthy has been justly lauded for her sympathetic acting, if a bit too much (some have fallen into the trap of over-praising a "comedian playing straight"; haven't these folks seen here fine work in ST.VINCENT just a couple of years back?). While you can sometimes see the seams in McCarthy's performance, Grant glides with ease. While both individuals are clearly gay, only Grant's Jack gets to be overtly so. I guess it's more 'enjoyable' to the arthouse crowd to watch his flamboyance as opposed to Israel's dowdy repression. Dolly Wells is excellent as a mousy bookseller.
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? tells its basic tale well, even if its a bit too orderly (ironic, because one of the critiques of Israel's own writing was that it lacked personality), but McCarthy and Grant make it worthwhile.