[Quick Summary: After an unpleasant, down-on-her-luck writer is suspected by the FBI, she enlists the help of a ne'er-do-well to continue to sell faked celebrity letters.]
TWO THINGS THAT THIS SCRIPT DOES WELL:
1) RETAIN THE UNPLEASANT. Lee Israel was a difficult person.
I liked that this script did not try to soften those edges or excuse them. It merely showed the cause and effect of her idiosyncratic, but human, behavior.
ex. At a party at her agent's house, Lee feels the agent is brushing her off/rejecting her. Instead of dealing with the feeling, she steals someone else's nice coat.
2) PROTAGONIST AS ANTAGONIST. What do you do when the protagonist's greatest antagonist is herself? How do you externalize her fight with herself?
For Lee, I think she wanted to connect, but her unexamined issues got in the way.
This script does a nice job of putting Lee into situations where her flaws are on display and work against her being able to connect.
In the scene below, note:
- Lee owes three months rent. Andrei is nice to her.
- Lee is in the wrong, yet she continues to treads on his kindness and asks for another favor.
- Lee does not take responsibility for the lost job and blames others.
- The scene shows how Lee's imposing behaviors caused others to stay away.
ex. "INT. LEE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - ENTRYWAY - DAY
Lee enters her building, and upon seeing Andrei, 50s, Romanian, tries to turn around and go right back out, but he calls out.
ANDREI: MS. ISRAEL!
LEE: Hi, Andrei.
ANDREI: I knock on your door but you never answer. We're going on three months.
LEE: No, I know. I'm really sorry about that. I'm working on it.
ANDREI: I don't want to have to call the management.
LEE: Can you cut me a little slack? It's been a rough patch. I just lost my job. I think it was ageism.
ANDREI: Can't you write another book?
LEE: Last one was a bit of a calamity.
ANDREI: I like you, you've been here longer than I have, and you've always been kind to my mother. Just get it to me soon.
LEE: I will. Absolutely. Thank you.
Andrei start to walk away.
LEE (CONT'D): But hey, in the meantime, do you think you could get an exterminator in my apartment? I've got an untenable fly situation."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This script is unusual because the protagonist is the main antagonist too. It must've been difficult to figure out how to externalize the internal fight.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)(final shooting script, 3/13/17)
by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
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