I CARE A LOT

UK/US, 2020, 118 minutes, Colour.

Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza Gonzalez, Dianne Wiest, Chris Messina, Isaih Whitlock Jr, Macon Blair, Alicia Witt, Damian Young, Nicholas Logan.

Directed by J Blakeson.

I Care a Lot/ Not.

While the film is about fraud, taken from today’s headlines, fraud in exploitation of the elderly, cheating them of their savings, virtually imprisoning them in harsh institutional conditions, a company taking over administration rights, power of eternity, it makes for an interesting screenplay, but can it be entertaining?

On the level of interest, we are introduced to the supremely confident business executive, Marla, played with ruthless style and manner, by Rosamund Pike (winning a Golden Globe for this performance). We might be momentarily dazzled by her manner in court, her ability to turn on compassion, but the more we get to know her, the more repellent she is. And, she has a network of doctors, complicit in the fraud, making recommendations for likely targets, legally and inhumanely keeping them in literal lockdown. And, over the years, she has charmed a judge who listens to her rather than any appeal by any angry and disgruntled relative.

On the level of entertainment, the screenwriters have decided to bring in the Russian Mafia!

One of the recommended victims for the fraud is a not-so-little-old lady, despite initial indications she is a touch doddery. She is played by Dianne Wiest, a sudden intrusion into our home, Marla blending charm and decisiveness, getting her out of the house and into the nursing home before the old lady and we have had time to absorb what was going on.

The information was wrong – and what follows is a mixture of serious and satiric comic ups and downs as the son of the old lady, Russian Mafia as mentioned, tries his utmost (including crooked lawyers, violent thugs) to extricate his mother. For tantalising entertainment, he is played by Peter Dinklage.

Which means then that the conflict will build up to a confrontation (actually, many confrontations) between Marla and the sun – and a moral solution (“moral solution”?) is found in our capitalist slickly-greed-motivated world, fraud.

This solution is rather breathtaking – although, audiences who dislike Marla will be cheering, perhaps, at her breath-taking finale!

1. The title? The irony? The world of caregiving for the elderly? Service? Exploitation? Fraud?
2. The American setting, the city, apartments, homes for the elderly, interiors, grounds? The courts? The exteriors, the roads, the woods, the lake? Business offices? The musical score?
3. The moral perspective? The exploitation of the elderly, court orders, legal guardians, control of persons, their health and lives, their money and possessions? The business organisers, the connivance of nurses and doctors and home managers?
4. Rosamund Pike as Marla, age, experience, poise, control? Her business empire? The chart in her room, the photos of all the elderly, removing the dead, adding others? Her relationship with Fran, the relationship, the sexual relationship, Fran, her shrewdness, Marla relying on her?
5. The tone of the film, the desperate son and Marla’s control of his mother, the confrontation, going to court, his desperation, Marla and her being calm, the judge believing her, the aftermath, the man hurling abuse at Marla, the death rate, his being taken away? The irony of the audience forgetting about him and his case, his reappearance at the end, the death of his mother, the gun, killing Marla?
6. The doctor, her contacting Marla, prospective cases, the decision about Jennifer? The manager of the home, in on the deal? The financial payoffs? Marla and her control, sure of herself?
7. Visiting Jennifer, the background information, no connections? In her home, the confrontation, the documents, the police outside, taking her away, the bewilderment? The welcome of the home, the cheery staff? The artificiality? The luxury room, the taking of the mobile phone? Jennifer locked away, wanting to go out into the air, confined, sitting in the games room?
8. The visit of the young man, wanting to get Jennifer out, his manoeuvres, the gun, the staff? Fr in the bag over his head? Jennifer taken back?
9. The revelation about Roman and the Russian Mafia? His rebuking the young man, getting him to find out what it happened, his going to the house, being redecorated? The information to Roman, that Jennifer was his mother? The effect on him?
10. Roman, played by Peter Dinklage, his whims and tantrums, food, his office, treatment of his underlings?
11. The visit of the lawyer, clothes, smooth talk, confronting Mahler, her staunch responses, the offering the money? Seeing her in court, his not revealing Jennifer’s connections? Losing the case?
12. Marla, going through Jennifer’s possessions, the key, to the bank, the discovery of the diamonds? Later going to the dealer, making the connections for selling them?
13. The buildup to the war with Roman, the murder of the doctor? Fran her fears? Wanting to pack? Marla deciding to stand firm? Sending Jennifer to the mental institution?
14. The assassin, the dart in Marla’s leg, her being abducted, the confrontation with Roman? His wanting the diamonds? Her not revealing anything? Her being taken, in the car, crashed into the lake, her being able to escape? Walking the Road, buying the clothes, getting the taxi? Discovering Fran, the attack?
15. The confrontation between Roman and Marla, the attack on him, his being in the hospital? His proposal about partnership, money, greed, ambitions?
16. The success of the enterprise, the huge corporation, the different companies? Marla being interviewed on television?
17. The man from the opening of the film, the death of his mother, the gun, his killing Marla?
18. What does it profit…? An amoral moralising story?