Even when she was employed, Israel is practically destitute. The vet won't look at her sick cat until she comes up with the $90 she owes from previous visits. Her landlord, although sympathetic to a degree, cautions her that she is close to eviction for past due rent. She resorts to gathering up books scattered throughout her dingy apartment and carting them to a used book store. There, a snotty clerk humiliates her in front of other customers, telling her in effect that Lee Israel books are so yesterday.
Although Israel is presumably intelligent and educated, she has convinced herself that the only feasible way she can make a living is by writing. Her alcoholism no doubt clouds her judgment. Her long-time agent, Marjorie (SNL veteran Jane Curtin), is bluntly honest with her, trying to convince Israel that there will be absolutely no market for her current writing project, a Fanny Brice biography. Israel is not convinced.
It is during her research on Brice in a New York public library when Israel makes a discovery which sends her down the road to perdition. Tucked inside a crusty old volume is a letter which is handwritten by Brice. After looking over her shoulder to make sure no one is watching, Israel slips the letter into her purse and absconds with it. A shop owner, Anna (Dolly Wells), whose acquaintance Israel has made, offers her a small sum for the letter, apologizing that she'd be willing to offer more if only the contents weren't so bland. This apology sows the sinister seed in Israel's mind. Why not forge letters from famous novelists, playwrights and actors of years gone by and then pass them off as authentic treasures?
Israel uses her writing talents for this very purpose. She has the ability to concoct expressions and phrases which closely approximate the actual writings of the deceased persons she's imitating. Her specialties include Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward and Edna Ferber. This introduces us to a fascinating world I knew little about: dealers who buy and sell collections and various artifacts of former celebrities. Israel's plan works brilliantly, until it doesn't. And when it doesn't, things spiral south in a hurry.
As much as I admire McCarthy's risk-taking for delving into a new (for her) type of character, my favorite of the film's several features is the performance of Swazi-British actor Richard E. Grant. He plays the role of Israel's complex friend, Jack Hock. Wearing a long scarf and a tweed jacket, Jack initially gives the appearance of a bon vivant, seriously interested in literature and Israel's resume as a once-popular author. We find out, simultaneously with Lee, that Jack is, in fact, homeless, a street person whose confidence and presence belie his true lifestyle. When Lee realizes that she may have gone too far in her game of forgery, she enlists Jack as her partner in crime. This enhanced level of their relationship leads to both humorous highs and unfortunate lows.
There is an old saying that truth is stranger than fiction. Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which is based on the memoir of Lee Israel, furnishes strong support for that adage.
