Cert 15 106mins Stars 3

Hollywood’s fascination with the con game continues in this downbeat real life crime drama, where the world of 1990’s New York publishing is the victim Melissa McCarthy.

The star of comedies such as 2016’s woeful all-female Ghostbusters reboot demonstrates what a decent actress she can be when she’s not trying to be funny, and has picked up Best Actress BAFTA and Oscar nominations to prove it. 

She plays Lee Israel, a failed author who begins a lucrative career as a forger of  personal letters by deceased writers, such as the US First Lady of wit, Dorothy Parker.

And nominated alongside her in a performance which is no more than bang average by his standards, Brit thesp Richard E. Grant, plays her gay alcoholic accomplice.

We should be grateful for the energy and charm Grant brings to an otherwise melancholy and passive/aggressive affair, which demands we sympathise with the sad and seedy duo while giving us little reason to like them.