Can You Ever Forgive Me

"Can You Ever Forgive Me" is based on the life of Lee Israel, writer and biographer.

In the film, Israel, played by Melissa McCarthy, is down on her luck and about to lose her apartment. She can barely feed herself or her cat. She asks her publisher, played by Jane Curtin, for an advance, and she is refused.

With no other prospects, Lee continues working on her next project, a biography of vaudeville comedienne Fanny Brice. While researching the book, Lee comes across letters written by Brice, on a typewriter. As she is down on her luck, she takes the letters to a rare bookseller, to see if they might be worth some money. The bookseller tells her that she could give her some money for them, a paltry amount, as the letter isn't too terribly personal. Personal letters, if she could find any, could guarantee more money.

With that Lee begins a nefarious endeavor, forging letters from famous writers. At one point she has numerous typewriters in her home, one per author, mimicking the writing styles of Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward, and several others.

Based on a true story, from a book of the same name.

Now on DVD and Blu Ray, 2 stars.