by Jake Bourgeois
Netflix’s newest offering, I Care a Lot, has hit the streaming giant, bringing whispers of some possible awards buzz. But can it live up to those aspirations?
The film stars Rosamund Pike as a court-appointed legal guardian who abuses her position to get rich off her clients’ assets. However, a client that appeared lucrative on the surface could wind up tearing down what she’s worked so hard to build.
The role is Pike’s most hyped since her portrayal of Amy Dunne in the adaptation of Gone Girl, and there are some similarities here. Her character (Marla Grayson) is conniving and ruthless, not to mention loves herself a condescension-laced voice over monologue. However, neither the character nor the film lives up to that previous work.
There’s a very fine line this film is required to walk as a dark comedy where our de facto protagonist is someone taking advantage of the legal system to prey on the elderly. I Care a Lot’s problems are largely two-fold.
Firstly: why do we care about our main character? She a terrible person doing terrible things to people. The film perhaps tries to get us there by having her smack down a misogynist in the opening scene after she beats him in court. And while, yes, the guy is a terrible person, that doesn’t provide justification for what she’s doing.
The other major problem is the film’s tone. It’s got one foot in some semblance of reality. It presents an immensely cynical view of the legal system, medical system, and nursing homes, which allow for Grayson’s scheme to flourish. While that reality is likely heightened for dramatic effect, it does not pair well with some of the film’s other aspects—namely the buffoons serving as the henchmen for our antagonist (Peter Dinklage). One such henchman is literally knocked out by a flying oxygen tank propelled after being struck by a bullet during a shoot out in a nursing home. That ridiculous moment sticks out like a sore thumb, given what’s come before it.
The dichotomy of the tones is just too great to balance. Unfortunately, the blame for that must lie with director J Blakeson (Gunpowder, The 5th Wave), who also wrote the screenplay.
That’s not to say there’s nothing to take away from the film at all. Pike is fine and her relationship (both personal and professional) with Eiza González’s character provides some good moments. The synth-y score is a nice, creative touch, courtesy of Marc Canham.
The highlight of the film is an exchange that occurs between Grayson and a lawyer in her office. The dialogue is snappy and smart, the atmosphere is tense, and it sets up the stakes for the rest of the film. No part of the rest of the movie, however, manages to live up to that brief moment.
By the time the film ends, I don’t find myself caring very much at all.
Grade: C-