I Care a Lot is a 2020 American dark comedy thriller film written and directed by J Blakeson that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in the same year in September. The film stars Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest and was released via streaming in most countries on February 19, 2021, through Netflix and Prime Video depending on the region.
J Blakeson as the writer-director weaves a plot full of twists and fascinatingly foul characters.
This is a delectable con movie about an irredeemable villain: Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), who has figured out a way to become the legal guardian for dozens of elderly men and women, funneling their bank accounts and valuables into her own pockets. She gets hands-on everything she wants until Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage), a cutthroat drug kingpin who has been living almost completely off the grid, with piles of money, a staff of killers at his command, and a labor force of immigrants forced to risk their lives smuggling his narcotics, challenges her.
Pike was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance and rightly so. She as Marla takes advantage of society’s general lack of interest in quality elder care. Though she is technically evil, it’s pretty exciting to watch her do it. Amongst her wealthy targets is the mother of Lunyov whom she takes under her foster care and finds diamonds in her safe. On learning of Jennifer’s whereabouts, she admits her to a psychiatric ward without Lunyov’s knowledge and asks for ransom for the diamonds and his mother. She is kidnapped, tortured and yet she manages to keep her demands.
The film portrays the sad state of the elderly and how authorities are subject to corruption. Though Marla and Lunyon are extremely likable as movie characters, they are but a threat to the whole system. They send the wrong message entirely. They are able to be what they are doing as no one stops them.
The storyline also projects on the conflict of genders as Marla constantly makes her point and ultimately proves to be at par or even better than Lunyov in her con-craft. We got a female villain. Cheers to that, or not?
If you are going to ring the bell of your conscience, well then don’t watch it as it’s totally immoral and badass.
The devil does entertain more than The Lord. Ain’t it?
I Care A Lot is streaming now on Netflix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D40uHmTSPew
