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CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

"Washed-Up Author Turns Her Talent to Crime"

What You Need To Know:

In CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, biographer Lee Israel hasn’t had a bestseller for years. After getting fired, Lee’s left with no money, no way to pay her rent, and a sick cat who can’t be treated due to being behind on vet bills. By chance she runs into Jack Hock, another unsuccessful author who she briefly met at a party a few years ago. They strike up a quick friendship, strengthened by their mutual profession and homosexual lifestyle. After Lee forges a letter by a vaudeville star to sell it, she and Jack team up to continue the scam. It’s not long, however, before the FBI is on their trail.

Based on a true story, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? actually has an intriguing plot, but it’s as much about Lee’s internal struggles as it is about her criminal activity. As a result, there’s a lot of drinking, a lot of swearing, some stealing, and lifestyle choices reflecting her depressed, troubled state. Sadly, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? promotes a strong politically correct, homosexual viewpoint and contains some drug use.

Content:

(RoRoRo, PCPCPC, HoHoHo, FeFe, B, LLL, V, SS, N, AA, DD, MMM)

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Very strong Romantic, politically correct worldview where both primary characters are homosexual and some scenes contain depictions or references to their relationships, “white males” are talked about disparagingly, and “right-wing” and “red baiting propaganda” are talked about disparagingly, but female lead is held accountable for her criminal actions in forging letters by famous people to earn money, but she’s not completely remorseful;

Foul Language:
At least 31 obscenities, eight profanities, slang terms are used for male genitalia, one scene describes urinating in a closet at a party, and an obscene gesture is used;

Violence:
A pet cat dies, a man is bloody after being beat up, a man is shown sick with AIDS;

Sex:
Sexual acts are briefly mentioned, implied male prostitution, female lead is a lesbian, and two homosexual men are shown in bed together after having sex;

Nudity:
The naked backside of a man is briefly seen as he gets out of bed;

Alcohol Use:
Many scenes depict drinking, and some scenes depict light drunkenness;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
Some scenes depict cigarette smoking, a couple scenes show snorting cocaine, one scene depicts someone offering cocaine;

Miscellaneous Immorality:
Woman is disrespectful in her workplace, a woman steals toilet paper and a coat at a party, a woman skips an AA meeting she’s required by law to attend, revenge is taken on a clerk who’s rude, woman forges letters by famous authors and sells them as authentic, woman repeatedly lies, a suspect destroys evidence of a crime after FBI instructs them not to do so, a man disobeys house rules while house sitting, a man allows a sick cat to die by not taking proper care of it, a woman isn’t completely sorry for committing crimes and is more upset about getting caught.

More Detail:

In CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, biographer Lee Israel hasn’t had a bestseller for years, and her agent has all but given up on her. After getting fired at her most recent writing job, Lee’s left with no money, no way to pay her rent, and a sick cat who can’t be treated due to being behind on its vet bills. Lee even resorts to stealing toilet paper and a nice coat at a party. Her latest book is about an obscure vaudeville star, which her agent criticizes as being unsellable on the current market. Short of finding a regular job, she tries taking a small book collection to a used bookstore, but only gets a couple dollars.

Nursing her sorrows over a drink at a bar, in walks Jack Hock, another unsuccessful author who met Lee briefly at a party years before. His charismatic personality slowly wins Lee over, and the two hit it off, becoming fast friends. They provide much-needed companionship for each other while playing practical jokes on people, drowning their sorrows in alcohol, and lamenting the toils of homosexual relationships. While Lee broke up with her girlfriend a while ago and lives a life of seclusion, Jack is rather promiscuous, and is always looking for his next encounter.

While doing research for her new biography, Lee comes across a personal letter form the vaudeville star that had been tucked in the back of a library book. She takes it and sells it, making enough money to take her cat to the vet. It gives her the idea of selling more letters for easy money, so she resorts to forging dozens of letters by famous authors and selling them to multiple dealers. Lee adds her own creative touches to the text, making them more valuable. However, one dealer becomes suspicious when a close friend of one of the authors gets hold of a forged letter and claims the author would never have written certain parts of it. On the brink of getting caught, Lee sends Jack in her place to continue selling the letters until he’s intercepted by the FBI.

Based on a true story, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? actually has an intriguing plot, but it’s as much about the internal struggles of Lee as it is about the criminal act itself. Her struggles come from being a lesbian in the 1990s, lack of stability in a relationship, living alone, and not being able to write interesting material anymore. Furthermore, her cat is sick, which stands out immediately from the start and it’s overtly predicable that the feline will not make to the end of the movie alive. The movie could have included more about the letter forging as it makes it seem that Lee did way less than what she did in reality. The most suspenseful and captivating moments revolve around this storyline, and it’s a fascinating subject to watch, which is why it’s a little disappointing that it’s not given more time and depth.

As a result of Lee and Jack’s depressive states, there’s a lot of drinking, a lot of swearing, some stealing, and lifestyle choices that reflect hopelessness of sorts. The homosexual and progressive agenda are pushed heavily, and the fact it’s set in the 1990s only adds to the victimhood of the characters. Anti-conservative rhetoric is paired with feminist ideology in one scene in particular. Just so it’s clear the movie takes place in the 90s, Jack is shown somewhat emaciated by the AIDS virus after casually messing around with other men. While Lee is ultimately held accountable for her crimes, her courtroom statement suggests she’s not necessarily remorseful except for getting caught. That said, she does eventually clean up her act and it’s implied her life of crime is behind her.

Despite these light moral elements, the movie has a very strong Romantic, politically correct worldview overall. The movie’s politically correct, left-wing sentiments are part of Lee Israel’s personal story, but the filmmakers behind CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? rub the viewer’s face in such false, abhorrent political attitudes.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


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