Yvette Morton

Excellent contemporary film that centers around two English high school teachers and a male student. Intelligent, gripping, and suspenseful. Judi Dench is terrific as usual.

Based on a true story set during the early 1990s, the film stars Melissa McCarthy as New York City author Lee Israel. She is 51 years old and can no longer support herself. She starts to forge letters written by the likes of Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward. Lee's scheme works. She sells the forgeries to book stores that sell to collectors. Lee is talented at creating letters and "bon mots" allegedly written by these famous people because she knows their work and personalities well. McCarthy delivers a fine performance except she speaks with midwestern rather than New York City diction. An entertaining, literate and intelligent movie.