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I Care a Lot

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I Care a Lot.
Official release poster
Directed byJ Blakeson
Written byJ Blakeson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDoug Emmett
Edited byMark Eckersley
Music byMarc Canham
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 12, 2020 (2020-09-12) (Toronto)
  • February 19, 2021 (2021-02-19) (United States)
Running time
118 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

I Care a Lot is a 2020 American dark comedy thriller film written and directed by J Blakeson. The film stars Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest.

I Care a Lot had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2020, and was released via streaming in most countries on February 19, 2021, through Netflix and Prime Video depending on the region.

I Care a Lot received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Pike's performance. Pike was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Plot

Marla Grayson is a con woman who makes her living by persuading a judge to appoint her to guardianship over elders living on their own, under the guise that they cannot take care of themselves. Marla then places the elders in an assisted living facility and cuts off all contact to the outside world, selling their homes and assets for her own profit.

Marla receives a tip from Dr. Karen Amos, with whom she has an arrangement. Dr. Amos informs her about a wealthy elder they can exploit: Jennifer Peterson, a single retiree with no family. Dr. Amos accompanies Marla to court and falsely testifies that Jennifer is unable to care for herself, and the judge appoints Marla as her guardian. Marla then moves her into the assisted living facility and discovers valuable diamonds in Jennifer’s safety deposit box.

Unbeknownst to Marla, Jennifer is the mother of a former Russian mob boss, Roman Lunyov, who sends his men to look into her condition. When they discover the ruse, they send a lawyer to Marla, who offers to pay her to release her guardianship. Marla refuses and the lawyer threatens her well-being. He takes her to court and attempts to convince the judge of Marla’s ruse, but he refuses to disclose his clients so the judge dismisses his case. When Marla questions Jennifer about the lawyer, Jennifer realizes what’s happening and tells Marla she’s in danger.

Roman sends three henchmen to infiltrate the facility and find Jennifer; they nearly escape after killing a guard, but they are apprehended by police. Marla connects the dots from the captured henchmen back to Roman and realizes who Jennifer really is. She also sees a news report about the suspicious death of Dr. Amos. Marla’s girlfriend Fran tries to convince Marla that they should skip town, but Marla declines. She commits Jennifer to a psychiatric ward as retribution.

Marla is later drugged and kidnapped in a parking garage, while henchmen also break into her apartment and beat Fran. Marla awakens in the middle of nowhere, where Roman demands his mother’s release and the location of the diamonds she stole. Unfazed by his threats, Marla refuses unless he pays her $10 million; Roman orders his men to kill her. They drug her and put her in a car, crashing it into a lake. Marla awakens and frees herself. She returns home and finds Fran unconscious as gas leaking from the stove fills their house; she revives Fran and gets them out just before it explodes.

Fran again insists that they skip town, but Marla instead persuades her to help track down Roman using a license plate number she memorized from their meeting. She tracks down and subdues Roman's driver in a parking garage, then drugs and kidnaps Roman when he arrives. She and Fran take Roman out into the wilderness and leave him naked on a trail, where he is discovered hours later by a jogger. Unable to establish his identity, a judge designates Roman as a “John Doe” and appoints him a legal guardian – Marla.

Marla visits Roman and explains everything to him, again offering to release him and Jennifer for $10 million. Instead Roman, impressed by her skills, offers her a partnership in building a global business based around her guardianship ploy. She accepts, and using his money and connections she becomes a powerful business leader as CEO of the company. However, while leaving a TV interview she is shot by Mr. Feldstrom, whose mother died while he was unable to visit her; Marla dies in Fran’s arms.

Cast

Production

It was announced in May 2019 that Rosamund Pike had been cast to star in the film, which would be written and directed by J Blakeson.[2] Peter Dinklage and Eiza González were added in June.[3][4] In July 2019, Chris Messina and Dianne Wiest joined the cast of the film,[5] with filming beginning in the same month.[6][7] Scenes were shot in Dedham, Massachusetts,[8] including at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds.[9]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2020.[10] Shortly after, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film in select countries including the U.S., France, Germany, Latin America, South Africa, the Middle East, and India.[11] Prime Video subsequently acquired rights in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom through Black Bear's international distributor STX.[12] It was released on both services on February 19, 2021.[13][12]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 123 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "A searing swipe at late-stage capitalism, I Care A Lot is an exhilarating, pitch-black comedy with a wicked performance from Rosamund Pike."[14] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15]

Owen Glieberman, writing for Variety, gave positive notes to writer and director J Blakeson, who he compared to Alfred Hitchcock, stating that "when he finally gets around to staging an action sequence, it’s a doozy [...] because he takes his time and has you hanging on every moment".[16] From Empire, Terri White said that Blakeson "doesn't always remain in full control of the story and tone, [but] the ride is so wild and entertaining that it doesn’t particularly matter", and gave the film four stars out of five.[17] Kate Erbland, from IndieWire, gave I Care a Lot a "B-", and said that "Blakeson's script piles on the complications fast and furious [...] but at least they keep his growing cadre of characters on their toes."[18] Slant Magazine's Chuck Bowen gave the movie three stars and a half out of four, said that "Blakeson means for us to champion Marla as a feminist icon for a while, though he deflates this potential moral idiocy with an ironic ending."[19]

Various critics also praised Pike for her performance as con artist Marla Grayson. While the Associated Press wrote that "Pike pulls something off that few else could as a protagonist. She's quite detestable and completely compelling," Entertainment Weekly said that she delivered her best performance as a villain since Gone Girl in 2014.[20][21] Noel Murray from The A.V. Club, who gave the film a "B+", said that "Pike is an absolute delight as Marla".[22] Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter said that "Pike brings crisp efficiency and dead-eyed amorality to a legal conservator", and ABC News journalist Peter Travers said that "Pike makes a feast of the role".[23][24]

Additionally, the New York Times put it in its "NYT Critic's Pick" of top films, and said the following:

"An unexpectedly gripping thriller that seesaws between comedy and horror, I Care a Lot is cleverly written and wonderfully cast. Marla is an almost cartoonish sociopath, and Pike leans into her villainy with unwavering bravado. And Wiest is sly perfection [...] but it's the introduction of an inscrutable Russian gangster [...] that gives Marla a worthy foil and the plot a reason to climax. With its ice-pick dialogue and gleefully ironic title, I Care a Lot is a slick, savage caper with roots in a real-world scam. An overlong, somewhat mushy middle section made me fear Blakeson was losing his nerve. I was wrong." — Jeannette Catsoulis[25]

However, some reviewers also left mixed comments on the film. From The Detroit News, Adam Graham gave the film a "D", and said that I Care a Lot was a "misguided black comedy" as viewers didn't have a way to relate to the character of Marla Grayson.[26] Writing for the Chicago Tribune, Michael Phillips gave the film two stars and said that while "the acting's uniformly strong, [...] the script is distressingly weak."[27] Mae Abdulbaki from Screen Rant gave a mixed review, lauding the performances from the ensemble cast, but writing that "there is something completely missing from I Care a Lot that makes it a hard pill to swallow."[28] In a mixed review, Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com said that along with Pieces of a Woman (2020), it was "another film that struggles with tone", and that Rosamund Pike was "clearly a tempting choice [...] but she and Blakeson never figured this character out."[29]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Golden Globe Awards February 28, 2021 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Rosamund Pike Pending [30]

References

  1. ^ "I Care A Lot". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  2. ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 9, 2019). "Rosamund Pike Pic 'I Care A Lot' Picked Up By STXinternational – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  3. ^ Hipes, Patrick (June 6, 2019). "Peter Dinklage In Talks To Star With Rosamund Pike In 'I Care A Lot'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (June 18, 2019). "Eiza Gonzalez Joins Thriller 'I Care A Lot' With Rosamund Pike & Peter Dinklage – CineEurope". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 9, 2019). "Chris Messina Joins Rosamund Pike in 'I Care a Lot' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  6. ^ Kay, Jeremy (May 9, 2019). "Rosmaund Pike to star in Cannes-bound thriller 'I Care A Lot'". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "Hollywood can't stay out of Wellesley — "I Care a Lot" movie filming in town". TheWellesleyReport. July 9, 2019. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  8. ^ ""I Care a Lot" being filmed in Dedham". The Dedham Times. Vol. 27, no. 33. August 16, 2019. p. 1. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  9. ^ O'Donnell, William P. (February 6, 2020). "Hollywood Comes To The Norfolk Registry of Deeds". Patch. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (July 30, 2020). "Toronto Sets 2020 Lineup: Werner Herzog, Regina King, Mira Nair, Francois Ozon, Naomi Kawase Titles Join Hybrid Edition". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  11. ^ Fleming Jr, Mike (September 25, 2020). "Netflix Lands Fourth Big Toronto Film Festival Market Title With 'I Care A Lot' Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Lang, Jamie (January 15, 2021). "WarnerMedia Latin America Shakes Up Leadership Teams Following Turner, HBO GE Integration – Global Bulletin". Variety. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  13. ^ Huff, Lauren (December 4, 2020). "Rosamund Pike on playing a shameless schemer in I Care a Lot: 'I wasn't trying to win any admirers'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "I Care a Lot (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "I Care a Lot Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  16. ^ Glieberman, Own (September 15, 2020). "'I Care a Lot' Review: Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage Are Riveting in a Scam-Artist Thriller That Won't Let Go". Variety. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  17. ^ White, Terri (February 19, 2021). "I Care A Lot Review". Empire. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  18. ^ Erbland, Kate (September 12, 2020). "'I Care a Lot' Review: Rosamund Pike Returns to Her Hilariously Icy Amy Dunne Best in Pulpy Thriller". IndieWire. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  19. ^ Bowen, Chuck (September 15, 2020). "Review: I Care a Lot, Before Losing the Thread, Is a Barbed Satire of Capitalism". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  20. ^ Coyle, Jake (February 17, 2021). "Review: A compellingly cruel Rosamund Pike in 'I Care a Lot'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (February 17, 2021). "In I Care a Lot, Rosamund Pike delivers her finest villainy since Gone Girl: Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  22. ^ Murray, Noel (February 17, 2021). "The wicked Netflix neo-noir I Care A Lot is just the right amount of wrong". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  23. ^ Rooney, David (September 12, 2020). "'I Care a Lot': Film Review | TIFF 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  24. ^ Travers, Peter (February 19, 2021). "Review: 'I Care a Lot': A shockingly funny comedy that doesn't just sizzle, it stings". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  25. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (February 18, 2021). "'I Care a Lot' Review: The Art of the Steal". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  26. ^ Graham, Adam (February 18, 2021). "Review: Nothing to care about in 'I Care A Lot'". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  27. ^ Phillips, Michael (February 18, 2021). "'I Care a Lot' review: Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage go for the throat in Netflix fable of greed, American style". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Abdulbaki, Mae (February 19, 2021). "I Care A Lot Review: An Inconsistent Film With Strong Performances". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  29. ^ Tallerico, Brian (September 14, 2020). "TIFF 2020: Pieces of a Woman, I Care a Lot, Summer of '85". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  30. ^ "Golden Globes Nominations: Netflix Dominates With 42 Film & TV Noms, Led By 'Mank' And 'The Crown' – The Full List". Archived from the original on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
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