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Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), who is at the center of the smooth and dark caper film, “I Care A Lot” is a sleazy woman. She is caring, but – watch out! – she’s cunning. Marla may be a court-appointed legal guardian for the elderly, but she’s swindling her wards out of their homes and income. She even has a discreet network of accomplices who assist her.
Just watching Marla breathe out the vaping smoke suggests that she is the devil personified, and Pike embraces her devilish character with the same cruelty that she embraced her Oscar-nominated role in “Gone Girl.” Marla even says in the film’s opening voiceover, “Fair play is a joke invented by rich people to keep the rest of us poor.” She is a self-proclaimed lioness not a lamb. She plans because she’s been poor and knows that being rich is better.
Marla’s ethical boundaries are delicate, even though she maintains that she cares – a lot – about the older people she legally represents. Plus, given that Lomax Family Court Judge (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) claims she is a “highly respected professional guardian,” you’d think he’s on her payroll.
“I Care a Lot” opens with Marla working her charm in Judge Lomax’s courtroom when the disgruntled Mr. Feldstrom (Macon Blair) accuses her of hiding his mother from her and draining her possessions. He’s right, of course, but Marla’s tight defense – as well as the fact that Feldstrom assaulted a staff member and vandalized the facility’s reception area – finds the case in his favor.
Ready to build on that success, Marla learns of an opening at a Berkshire Oaks Senior Living in part because manager Sam Rice (Damian Young) is in Marla’s pocket. With the help of another paid contact, Dr. Amos (Alicia Witt), Marla finds “a cherry” (a perfect grade) in Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest). This single, childless woman, who happens to be sitting on a pile of money, is, thanks to the court-appointed Marla guardianship, soon to be housed in a new unit in Berkshire Oaks.
The whole operation is insidious, invasive and rapid. Marla and Fran (Eiza González) – her crime companion and in bed – clean up Jennifer’s house, sell her property, and find a safe containing something both very expensive and nowhere to be found. Gold mine!
But “I Care a Lot”, written and directed by J. Blakeson, has only just begun. When Alexi (Nicholas Logan) meets Fran at Jennifer’s house, her boss, Roman (Peter Dinklage), is not very happy with how things turned out. Roman sends his lawyer shark, Dean Erickson (a scene thief Chris Messina) to meet Marla. He offers her money and even threatens her, but the lioness neither backs down – nor loses. A game of one-upmanship and various reversals of fortune quickly ensue.
Blakeson runs his brilliant film smoothly as well-dressed characters misbehave and occasionally use Taser. “I Care a Lot” is skillfully drawn as the film leaves viewers feeling complicit in the subterfuge. Part of the movie’s dizzying fun awaits to see if, when, and how Marla and / or Roman are taken down.
In fact, perhaps the best joke in the movie is the mutual respect these two criminals have for each other when they play “Who’ll Blink First?” in a particularly tense meeting. That said, Marla and Roman seem to be efficient types, so the fact that they give each other a chance to come back is curious, and maybe even sloppy. Blakeson’s movie also gets a bit sluggish when depicting an extended streak involving a smashed tooth.
Despite the expected setbacks, the plot of the film offers some opportunities that fall perfectly into Marla’s lap. Considering everything her character hopes to win, she might struggle more.
Pike, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for “I Care a Lot,” impresses with her phony politeness and inability to flinch. It’s very satisfying to see her having a verbal argument with villainous Dean Ericson in his office or in a courtroom. But his interactions with Jennifer are even better; they show that Marla may have met her partner unexpectedly. When Wiest purrs, “I’m the worst mistake you’ve ever made,” it’s hard not to hope it’s true.
Marla’s relationship with Fran, however, is arguably the weakest part of the film. It almost fails to achieve a goal, which is a good thing to an extent (nothing gets done), but it also feels like a missed opportunity (nothing is done about it). Blakeson doesn’t quite equate homosexuality with meanness, but “I Care A Lot” also doesn’t measure up to the fun “lesbians take on the crowd” which is “linked.” Alas, Marla and Fran present themselves more as demons (sic) with advantages than two women in love. González has too little to do.
In support of this, Peter Dinklage plays Roman as coldly threatening, and his tantrums when things aren’t quite going are dryly fun. And Dianne Wiest’s expressions as her life is torn apart are priceless. (It, too, could have been better used).
“I Care a Lot” offers the same fiery pleasure as the recent “Promising Young Woman”, as these female protagonists use a trick to get what they want. Marla doesn’t have a selfless reason for her actions, which imbues the film with a certain amorality, but there are feminist messages about women beating men.
Blakeson’s movie isn’t deep, but it’s enjoyable because Pike makes viewers care about Marla. And that can be more than enough.
“I Care a Lot” is now available to stream on Netflix.
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