Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy), an author whose career is in decline is struggling to make ends meet. Given her experience is in biographies and her talent is disappearing into the persona of her subjects she stumbles upon a money making idea. Can she type letters in the prose of famous literary figures and sell them as the genuine article?

Based on the memoir from Lee Israel, Marielle Heller’s film is an absolutely delightful watch. McCarthy turns in a much more restrained performance than usual, but given that Israel’s character involves being a reclusive woman who prefers cats to people, she is still able to deliver some of her trademark barbs. Richard E. Grant as Israel’s drinking buddy Jack Hock delivers a performance akin to an older Withnail.

The story is really quite intriguing as we see Lee slide into her criminal enterprise in a believable manner. And the witticisms both in her writing and in her self deprecating behaviour regularly bring smiles and the occasional laugh.