| Can You Ever Forgive Me? | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Marielle Heller |
| Screenplay by | |
| Based on | Can You Ever Forgive Me? by Lee Israel |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Brandon Trost |
| Edited by | Anne McCabe |
| Music by | Nate Heller |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million[2] |
| Box office | $12.4 million[3] |
Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a 2018 American biographical comedy-mystery film directed by Marielle Heller, with a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty based on the 2008 confessional memoir of the same name by Lee Israel. Melissa McCarthy stars as Israel, and the story follows her attempts to revitalize her failing writing career by forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights. The film also features Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella, and Ben Falcone in supporting roles. Israel took the title from an apologetic line in a letter in which she posed as Dorothy Parker.[4]
The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2018, and was released in the United States on October 19, 2018, by Fox Searchlight Pictures, grossing $12 million against a production budget of $10 million and received critical acclaim. The National Board of Review named the film as one of the top ten films of 2018, and, for their performances, McCarthy and Grant earned nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, at the 91st Academy Awards, the 76th Golden Globe Awards, and the 72nd British Academy Film Awards, among other ceremonies. Holofcener and Whitty were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- ^ "Can You Ever Forgive Me". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (January 8, 2019). "Making of 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?': How Melissa McCarthy Stepped In for Julianne Moore". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
- ^ "Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ Loughrey, Clarisse (1 February 2019). "Lee Israel: The real-life story behind Oscar-nominated Can You Ever Forgive Me?". The Independent. Retrieved 2 February 2019.