Disclaimer: The following post contains spoilers from Netflix’s I Care A Lot.
7 years after Gone Girl first released, it looks like Amy Dunne may have finally found some competition when it comes to being a determined but psychotic, pardon my language, ‘b*tch’.
It’s Marla Grayson from Netflix’s dark comedy-thriller, I Care A Lot. And of course, Rosamund Pike is the one playing Grayson in the film.
I Care A Lot is easily one of Netflix’s finest thrillers, with a shockingly intriguing story based on real-life incidents, and a protagonist who has no redeeming qualities.
And yet, the overwhelming emotion the film leaves you with is not despair or misery, but rather, a euphoric, edge-of-your-seat excitement, almost like an adrenaline rush. If that doesn’t describe the perfect dark comedy-thriller, then what does?
I Care A Lot tells the story of a state-appointed legal guardian, Marla Grayson, who dupes the people and the government, by forcibly checking in senior citizens into old-age homes and care facilities, under the premise of offering them help.
However, her well-developed scam comes crashing down when her latest ‘target’, Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), ends up being more than just another well-off old lady.
What follows is an interesting game of deceit and manipulation where there are, to put it simply, no heroes. This isn’t an anti-hero story. It’s not a tragic origin story.
It’s a story of two villains, straight-up manipulative and very willing to loot and kill, and their attempts to win against each other.
It’s one hell of a thrilling joyride, right until the climax that is not just unexpected, but also, slightly bittersweet. Because they may be villains, but damn if you’re not shipping their success by the end of the film.
And while Grayson is no icon, Pike’s performance is nothing short of iconic.
Pike truly shines as an ‘ambitchious’ legal guardian, who is ruthless in chasing her goals, and fearless in facing her enemies. It’s a unique set of personality traits that female characters, even the villains, are rarely saddled with. But Pike, ably supported by co-actor Eiza Gonzales, nails the mannerisms like a pro.
A subtle but on-point commentary on toxic masculinity, a power couple that is definitely evil but also serves relationship goals, and a story that has just the right number of twists and turns to keep your attention hooked, I Care A Lot is definitely worth a watch.
If for no other reason, than to simply watch Tyrion Lannister aka Peter Dinklage in action again.
All images are screenshots from the film on Netflix.