Original soundtrack to the 2018 motion picture. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a 2018 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Marielle Heller and with a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, based on Lee Israel's memoir of the same name. It stars Melissa McCarthy as Israel and follows her as she tries to revitalize her failing writing career by forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights.