Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Completed2018106 min

Lee Israel once made a living writing about other people’s lives. Now her books are out of fashion, her bills are mounting and her blunt manner…Read more +Read less −

Lee Israel once made a living writing about other people’s lives. Now her books are out of fashion, her bills are mounting and her blunt manner is doing little to improve either situation. A discovery in the world of literary collectibles offers a way to turn her ear for a famous writer’s voice into money. As she grows more confident, the distance between authorship and impersonation becomes harder to ignore. Melissa McCarthy plays Lee as a guarded, funny and often exasperating woman whose loneliness is no more straightforward than her work. Her friendship with Jack Hock provides companionship without making either person easier to manage. This biographical drama follows talent taking a dishonest route, while keeping the difficult person behind the deception firmly in view.

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Drama Comedy Biography

Sapphic characters & cast

Melissa McCarthy

as Lee Israel

Main sapphic character

1970-08-26 · ♍ Virgo

Apple TV credited performer publicity portrait, exact film cast panel

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Details & credits

Country: United States
Language: English
Premiere: 2018-10-19
Runtime: 106 minutes
Director: Marielle Heller

Film distributor/platform exact-film key art; rights pending editorial review

Artwork source & permission status

Editorial review approved — rights not independently confirmed

Film distributor/platform exact-film key art; rights pending editorial review

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Sources & editorial notes (9)

Last researched 2026-10-30. Editorially approved.

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