Rating: 5/5

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a film I have been anxiously waiting to see, and it was most certainly worth the anticipation.

In the early 90's, Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy), who was once a prominent writer, has fallen on hard times and has just been fired from her job as a small time editor. She tries to convince her distant literary agent Marjorie (Jane Curtin) that she has fresh ideas for a new book, but her agent refuses to listen. Thinking that her misfortune couldn't get any worse, her beloved elderly cat becomes ill, and Lee is unable to pay her rent, let alone a veterinary bill.

Desperate for money, Lee attempts to sell some of her books, but gets nowhere close to the funds she so badly needs. When she feels she has exhausted all of her options, she is forced to sell her prized possession of a signed letter from Katherine Hepburn. Shocked by the amount she receives for the sale, Lee gets a new idea for a way to make money; she will forge letters written by prominent writers and sell them for an impressive profit. With the help of her newly reacquainted friend Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), Lee begins to successfully swindle the major collectors of New York City.

What took me by surprise was how emotionally draining this film was. Of course it had laughs brought on by the perfectly timed sarcasm and delivery of its' lead, but it also brought unexpected tears to my eyes. When you see someone's life crumble around them, no matter what type of person they may be, it always makes for some somber and heartbreaking scenes, and Can You Ever Forgive Me? does this in a very skilled way. It builds up to these moments in a manner that the audience knows what's coming, but cannot be saved from experiencing the emotions that come with the excellent styling and performances of all those involved in the film.

Melissa McCarthy's portrayal of Lee Israel is one of the few times where I have wished that the Academy Awards could have named two winners for Best Actress. Though McCarthy's performance was subtle and very toned down compared to many of the past nominees for the category, her impeccable skill left just as much of an impact as any of the past winners' performances. Her character lived life trying to avoid being on anyone's radar, but that solitary existence is what brought her to the criminal acts that lead her to write the novel that inspired the film. McCarthy was able to take a character that is horrid to the majority of people she encounters, and somehow make her sympathetic. You are pulled into every scene, and are almost rooting for her to get away with her unlawful forgeries, even though you know it's wrong. Not many people could have pulled off such a tricky portrayal, but McCarthy proves my theory that behind almost all the excellent comedians, is an equally as talented dramatic actor.

Film editing is something I always pay a lot of attention to in a movie, and it is partially because it is one of my favorite aspects to film, but also because it can really make or break the cohesiveness and power of a plot. As Lee gets closer and closer to being found out by the authorities, the editing is what really makes for the almost stressful culmination of tension. You know she is doomed to be discovered but you just don't know when. The film cuts to each of her buyers as they realize they have been purchasing fraudulent documents, but you don't which will be the one to have her caught. It really could have been any of them, and the editing building up to her arrest create some of the better moments of apprehension that I have seen in recent film history.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is proof that a movie doesn't have to be flashy or historically meaningful in order to be brilliant. It thrives on its' simplicity in order to make a heavy impact. In my opinion, this is one of the best films to come out of 2018, and is one that is certainly going to be a part of my collection of movies that I will watch many times over.