Melissa McCarthy fans will love the darker character she inhabits in "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" As writer Lee Israel, she's down on her luck, angry, drinks too much, and grabs at straws. Fate hands her an opportunity, when she finds an old letter written by a long gone celebrity, and discovers there's money in memorabilia. Soon, McCarthy (as Israel) puts together a celebrity assembly line... old paper, elderly typewriters, and her own biting voice, capable of channeling Dorothy Parker, Fanny Brice, and Edna Ferber. The crime, by the way, is called forging. "Can you Ever Forgive Me?" recreates the world of antiquarian book stores and autograph collectors, of shady bars and shady inhabitants, including a star turn from Richard E. Grant as Lee's drinking companion and partner in crime. "Can you ever Forgive Me?" turns the rise and fall of a desperate writer fun and satisfying. "Can you ever Forgive Me?" 3½ stars, rated "R." Does it deliver what it promises? Great story and great part for Melissa McCarthy. Is it entertaining? Enthralling. Is it worth the price of admission? See it.
