Skip to main content

Movie Pick: Can You Ever Forgive Me?


I so enjoyed this  biopic about Lee Israel except it reminded me so much of a person in my life who basically acts exactly like Lee Israel.....and not in a good way!

The cast is what makes this film.  Jane Curtin is fantastic.  Her scathing criticism and advice to Lee are perfect: "You can be an asshole when you're famous. Right now stop being such a bitch."  Yes, sister.

And I have loved Richard E. Grant ever since his roles in "Age of Innocence" and "Gosford Park".  This movie honestly wouldn't have been as good without his insolent boyishness.

Melissa McCarthy is really great in a serious role.  She really embodies it in such a way that you can really love and hate her all at once.  In real life she seems to sweet and down-to-earth.  I hope I never find out that's not true.

I agreed with Lee's not really contrite mea culpa when she was in court.  She said she really didn't regret what she did and felt it was some of her best work.  It may have well been.  And does it really matter if a few people got forged letters from long-dead literary wits?  I doubt it.  A collectible is only a collectible if you think it is.  Who really gets hurt here?  Some too-rich pretentious literary types who want to hang a framed letter in their guest bath?  Not too big of a deal, if you ask me.  I also think Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward would kinda love the idea of this very thing happening.   A forged letter in a gilt frame by a porcelain sink with monogrammed towels?  Priceless!

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Reclaiming Your Childhood: Priceless

 This story might take a minute to tell. Bear with me. When my sister and I were little girls, my mother took us to a large baptist church in town. Even as a child, I never remember feeling welcome there.  But I do remember the lovely older couple that kept my Sunday School class. They gave us saltines and kool-aid, and I remember thinking they would be nice grandparents to have. At Christmastime, the Sunday School class was set to have a random gift exchange. Every child was supposed to bring a gift that could be exchanged with any other child.....no specific gift designations.  I received the gift of an Avon 7 bead necklace which was very popular at the time.  I loved it so much and was thrilled to have it!  I was somewhere between 5 and 7 at the time. (Back in the 1970's and 80's, Avon was a cosmetic company that was also known for it's inexpensive jewelry.  I couldn't find a price on what this necklace would have cost back then, but apparently there is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Week with Rumor

 My dog Rumor was an experiment.  A trial offer.  And all parties knew that going in.  Except for maybe Rumor. Rumor was an outdoor country dog.  His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country.  He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1.  He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old.  He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue". His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis.  He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector.  He was right on both counts.  He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife.  I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off.  It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such ...
Post a Comment
Read more

NYE for $200, Alex

 Can we all just agree that New Year's Eve is the worst of the string of winter holidays?  I would even go so far as saying it's THE WORST of all the holidays.  I loved when Stanford Blatch defined a party as feeling very "forced festive".  To me, most NYE parties feel that way.  The idea that this is a big year-end blow-out and we'd all damn well better make it awesome! The reason I hate NYE is because it combines two of things I most hate about celebrations: cold weather and crowds.  Plus it's during a time of year when everyone has already spent all their money.  AND you usually have to the leave the house.  ADDITIONALLY, you have to stay up late.  It's a big F.U. from me on all this.   I would dare say that some of my happiest New Year's memories have been spent at home in my pajamas with either my child, an S.O. or happily alone.  I remember one unforgettable year of moving into a 3rd floor apartment on NYE.  I rememb...
Post a Comment
Read more