I Care a Lot movie review: Rosamund Pike shines in this slick thriller

I Care A Lot begins with Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) telling us, the viewers, that we are not good people. Of course, it is natural that the high-profile scamster, who tricks the judicial system into making her the legal guardian of unsuspecting old people, thinks “there’s no such thing as good people”. While watching her monstrous schemes unfold, it’s intriguing to look forward to what J Blakeson, the director and the writer of I Care A Lot, says about the nature of good and evil, and crime and punishment. To reveal his take would spoil this film but let me just say Blakeson has a pretty deep opinion on morals, and he is brilliant in expressing them in this narrative.

Director: J Blakeson

Cast: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza Gonzalez, Dianne Wiest

A typical day of this cunning con-woman, who calls herself lioness, involves hunting for vulnerable old prey, who she then takes into her ‘care’ facility. Lions hunt in packs. So does Marla, who has her lover Fran (Eiza Gonzalez) and a doctor friend to help her bring home the victims. Things go south when they forcefully take in Jennifer Peterson, a wealthy old woman. Marla and Fran think Jennifer is a ‘cherry’ as she doesn’t have any family, but she turns out to be a 'mine'. Jennifer is the mother of a Russian mobster, who lives undercover, and who will stop at nothing to get his mom back.

I Care A Lot begins as a thriller about a face-off between two outliers, but then turns into something much deeper, and ends by delivering epic poetic justice. Superficially, what looks like a cat and mouse game between two characters is, if you think about it, a satirical take on morality. The story is about two predators fighting for a game. It is fascinating how J Blakeson carefully withholds information from us. Let me just say that he manages to deliver more than one surprise.

Much ink has been spent in the world in praise of the acting prowess of Rosamund Pike, and on evidence of this film, this is set to continue. She delivers an incredible performance as an unperturbed woman, who won’t shed her guard even in the face of death. Her stellar job is complemented by Peter Dinklage, who plays a taciturn mobster. Their scenes together are a treat. Even if you are not for too much depth or commentary on topics like morality, the performances of Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage are enough reward.