I Care a Lot: A Colorful Take on the Crime Thriller Genre

As Netflix adds more movies to its repertoire, it’s become harder to choose what to watch. Usually, I'll scroll through their Top 10 until I find something that piques my interest. I Care A Lot was one of those. Directed by J Blakeson and starring Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage, this 2021 film is a unique take on the crime thriller genre with plot schemes that I'd never come across before.

The first scene of the film contains a monologue by Marla Gray, played by Rosamund Pike, the lead character of the film. In her speech, she summarizes her views on success, and how it’s either taken from you, or you are the one doing the taking. “Wolf or sheep,” in her words. Although her approach is a little brash, it’s refreshing to see ultimate ambition portrayed by a powerful woman, especially one who seems to be getting the job done. Marla runs a company that enables her to become the legal guardian of elderly people who can no longer support themselves or have no one to do it for them. To make this process judicial, Marla has to appear in court and legally defend her client against whatever external force does not want them to be moved into a facilitated care home. In order to do this, suave and savvy Marla uses her impressionable nature in court and always successfully gets the judge to sway in her favor.

There’s one slight problem, however. Underneath Marla’s business plan is a money-hungry way in which to exploit older people. Working with Doctors, she pays special favors or large sums to inherit these people by a simple emergency note claiming that they are unfit to care for themselves. Following this procedure, Marla’s company now owns all the persons assets and does whatever it takes to make a profit off of them. The patients are so drugged up and disorientated that they lack coherence. And no patient in the care facility has access to cellphones or the outside world.

Approaching the main turn of events in the film, Marla finds a “cherry,” which is basically a patient with a prosperous background but no known family who would fight for them in matters of the law. As she makes a deal with a doctor in order for the woman to be recommended to the facility, she soon has full possession of the woman and her extreme wealth.

Eventually, Marla finds that the perfect plan almost always comes with a price, and thus begins the true “thriller” part of this highly engaging film. The whole cast is excellent, especially Rosamund Pike, who specializes in playing Machiavellian characters, such as Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. Overall, I Care A Lot is a well-executed and fun crime thriller.

4 out of 5 stars