Like many successful film comediennes (Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin) of the past Melissa McCarthy yearns to be taken seriously as biographer alchoholic forger, Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me. She shouldn't given the end to end funk she remains in in this torpid downer that has her trundling around Manhattan trying to pull the wool over the eyes of cozy book store owners. The dodge itself, lacking much if any suspense along with dialog substituting cynicism for wit and McCarthy's inability to stretch enough to touch her nose never takes the film above the glum level.
Biographer Lee Israel's life is spiraling downward. An insensitive lout with a drinking problem, money worries and a sick cat she devises a plan to create forgeries of notable personalities (Noel Coward, Dorothy Parker) to pay the rent, get meds for the cat, drink and continue her surly lifestyle. She takes on a partner Jack, (E.Grant) every bit as self absorbed when the Feds begin to close in.
Director Marielle Heller immediately paints herself in a corner with the unsavory Israel as her protagonist. There is very little wiggle room to sympathize with someone akin to point shaving in college and Heller is unable to make this unapologetic slob likable for more than two minutes at a time. McCarthy's performance compounds the problem. Flat and monotone she simply fails to bring life or interest to her predicament as she sullies her and collectors trades with gall and duplicity while offering copious amounts of self pity. Richard E. Grant as sleazy pal Jack piles the dissipation on with a bit of an elder stateman With Nail and I performance from 30 years back to assure the muck this film is mired in never strays.
Directed with a banal erraticism McCarthy's drab performance languishes throughout and "Forgive" could use a lot of it but not from me. A bungled disappointment.
Biographer Lee Israel's life is spiraling downward. An insensitive lout with a drinking problem, money worries and a sick cat she devises a plan to create forgeries of notable personalities (Noel Coward, Dorothy Parker) to pay the rent, get meds for the cat, drink and continue her surly lifestyle. She takes on a partner Jack, (E.Grant) every bit as self absorbed when the Feds begin to close in.
Director Marielle Heller immediately paints herself in a corner with the unsavory Israel as her protagonist. There is very little wiggle room to sympathize with someone akin to point shaving in college and Heller is unable to make this unapologetic slob likable for more than two minutes at a time. McCarthy's performance compounds the problem. Flat and monotone she simply fails to bring life or interest to her predicament as she sullies her and collectors trades with gall and duplicity while offering copious amounts of self pity. Richard E. Grant as sleazy pal Jack piles the dissipation on with a bit of an elder stateman With Nail and I performance from 30 years back to assure the muck this film is mired in never strays.
Directed with a banal erraticism McCarthy's drab performance languishes throughout and "Forgive" could use a lot of it but not from me. A bungled disappointment.