Going into this film having no prior knowledge of the plot was 100% the best way to get the most of 2021’s “I Care a Lot”, directed by J Blakeson. All I knew of this film was an establishing scene that had been circulating on popular social media app, Tik Tok that intrigued me to check it out.
Originally, I went into this film thinking it was a female empowerment piece that included an authentic lesbian romance, something film-goers had been asking for for quite some time. A film that would take away the “our entire character arc is that we come out” trope, and instead make it a natural piece of a storyline. Now, “I Care a Lot” did exactly that, but this is not a story of female empowerment.
If you want to enjoy the movie as much as I did, I recommend you stop reading and allow yourself the authentic experience of this slow burn thriller with a beautiful color scheme and incredible monologues. I will warn you though, this is not a light hearted story.
In a black-market medical field, doctors work amongst lawyers, judges, and care-takers to admit the “at risk elderly” to nursing facilities to completely drain all of their assets. One business-shark “care-taker”, played by Rosamund Pike, leads this film through its tumultuous journey of robbery, mafia-business, and nursing homes as her usual attempt to rob her elderly ward goes horribly askew.
This story is told entirely from the villain’s point of view essentially— it makes this film standout due to the emotions of wanting the protagonist to succeed, versus knowing Pike plays an awful character. Despite being a local care-taker, she stands toe-to-toe with a retired Russian mafia boss who will kill her (and did try) in order to get his mother out of her prison-like nursing home.
Mr. Lunyov, portrayed by legendary Peter Dinklage, knows no end to his dedication to his mother. Unwillingly put in a nursing home with all of her belongings auctioned away and her house sold, he seeks out Marla (Rosamund Pike) and her partner Fran (Eiza Gonzales) and puts them through hell in order to gain Marla’s legal release of his mother, ‘Jennifer Peterson’.
The plotline, driven by pride and greed, introduces us to the stone cold nature of Marla as she barters with murderers and mobsters in order to “win” against Lunyov and his gang. Although, one would know not to mess with Marla off of her sharp blonde bob and monochromatic pant suits— one look tells you this woman is fearless, and ruthless.
Seemingly unkillable, Marla’s unwillingness to die forces Lunyov to see her in a different, more business-like light. With just fifteen minutes left in the film, his proposal to team up with Marla’s medical money making scheme absolutely took me by surprise while also making perfect sense. The desire to be rich outweighs the sins of your enemies, but only if you can make money together apparently.
Marla’s shark-like nature left me feeling nearly sinister myself: I kept thinking to myself “could I ever stand toe-to-toe with a mob boss and live?” The answer to that, is no. But Rosamund Pike’s portrayal of Marla gave me far more attitude and confidence than most protagonists do. Her quick-witted, ceaseless nature is terrifying and admirable— her character as hated as she is respected.
Just when you think that the bad guy has inevitably won, retribution is served by one cold, hard gunshot wound. A man who we are introduced to in the establishing courtroom scene seeks revenge against Marla for her refusal to allow him visitation to his now late mother. He gives her just enough time to look him in the eyes before he makes her pay for her crimes, ending the successful story of Marla’s team up with the mobsters that created this sinister cover up.
While the entirety of the film was one unlikely event after the other, the story was so engaging I was craving the sweet-justice that I hoped would come for these characters. The plot and character of this film worked incredibly well to be fully engaging and controversial; as much as I wanted to see Marla fail, I was fascinated by her ruthless stone cold pursuit of success. Ultimately, I recommend this film for anyone who needs something that is as refreshing as it is engaging.
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