Potential spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.
MELISSA MCCARTHY
Film: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
I need to start this entry with a confession, I am generally not a fan of Melissa McCarthy. That’s not to say she makes bad movies (though she has made quite a few), but I’ve never really cared for her comedy style. I thought movies like Tammy and Identity Thief were abysmal, but even acclaimed performances in movies like The Heat and Spy, were not my cup of tea. However, I can’t forget how big of an impact she made in the comedy zeitgeist. I was in middle school when she blew up between Mike and Molly and her breakthrough film role in Bridesmaids. McCarthyism, sorry, poor choice of words. Let’s call it “McCarthy mania,” was at its height when she became one of the few actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for a role in a straight comedy for her supporting role in Bridesmaids. The closest example from recent memory is when Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated for Tropic Thunder, three years earlier.
Going back to McCarthy, she blew me away with her performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me? In the film, she plays real-life fading biography writer Lee Israel. Desperate and struggling for work, she resorts to forging letters from famous individuals. Her scam becomes so lucrative, that she invites her sleazy, hustler friend, Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), into the fold. Of course, people begin to ask questions and the scheme falls apart. As she faces legal representation and the loss of her friend (and her beloved cat), her world comes crumbling down. McCarthy’s performance in this film is so good that I forget she is “Melissa McCarthy.” I don’t see her as a goofy, comedic actress, but as an actress. Period. She embodies Israel so perfectly, that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role.
I’ve made it clear that McCarthy’s movies aren’t usually my cup of tea, but I believe that based on what I have seen and read, she is a genuinely kind person. This is a stark contrast to Lee, who is rude, vulgar, closed off, and frankly, unlikeable. McCarthy’s performance is like a magic trick. She presents Lee as unlikeable, and as an audience member, it’s hard to care about her. But the brilliance in McCarthy’s performance is that just in her eyes alone, she conveys the sadness and emptiness that fills Lee’s soul. And despite the sadness and emptiness, she allows us glimpses of the true Israel. The one scene that exemplifies this, in my eyes, is when Lee is on a date with the bookseller, Anna. The date has gone well, but as soon as Anna starts getting closer to her, she pushes her away. Lee immediately recognizes this and you can see the regret in her body language as soon as the camera cuts back to her. This fear of getting close to anyone is confirmed later on in the film when Lee runs into an old girlfriend, who calls her out on her many issues.
Just as much as the film is about Lee’s literary forgery, the film is also an exploration of the friendship between her and Jack. Jack is a gay, flamboyant, and alcoholic Englishman, whereas Lee is a rude, vulgar, closed-off alcoholic. The two bring out the best in each other. It’s through Jack that the audience gets to see the version of Lee that she’s closed off to so many throughout the years. Seeing this unlikely friendship develop so intimately makes it that much more powerful when their criminal empire crumbles and their friendship sours. I have to stop for a moment to sing Grant’s praises. Despite being a small-time Hollywood fixture since the late eighties, this is Grant’s breakthrough role, and he rightfully earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He more than holds his own against McCarthy.
In my opinion, the best scene comes near the end of the film. As Lee awaits sentencing, the judge allows her to give a statement. She opens by stating “I don’t regret what I did,” much to the chagrin of her lawyer. She goes on to say that creating these letters that people believed were real, validated her as a writer. She makes note that she was struggling in life, but this whole event made her feel alive again. Finally, she tells the judge that she got a friend out of it, so she can’t regret it too much. It’s in delivering these lines that you start to feel a little bit of sympathy for Lee. It reminds you just how pathetic her life is, but it also starts to melt away that facade that she’s a miserable human. You see that spark in McCarthy’s eyes that I just don’t know how to describe. It’s a masterclass in acting.
With anyone else in the lead, I’m sure it could still be a thrilling story of betrayal and deceit. In fact, in earlier stages, Julianne Moore was set to play Lee. While I am curious what Moore’s take on Lee would look like, I ultimately think the casting of McCarthy was superb. Her stellar performance (along with Grant’s) elevates the final product of the film. It’s no surprise that McCarthy snagged a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for her performance.
Check this out: CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? | “You’re Going to Pay Me $5000″ Clip | FOX Searchlight
