I Care A Lot: Plot And Character Analysis

Have you happened to come across the Netflix movie “I Care A Lot?”. If you haven’t, then it is definitely worth a watch. The film exposes some gruesome aspects of the legal guardianship industry, which we will explore in detail in this article. If you’re travelling to a region where the movie isn’t available to you, you can get a Netflix unblocker, a legal VPN provided by VeePN and enjoy the film with your friends and family. I Care A Lot is not a true story but is based on real-life events. Watch out, spoilers ahead.

Now let’s look at the movie in detail and answer questions like “does Marla die? in I Care A Lot” and more and look at the plot in detail.

I Care A Lot is director J. Blakeson’s third film. The film is based on the life of con artist Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike). It may seem like quite a peculiar topic, but you will see that the movie exposes fraud and corruption in the legal guardianship industry. The current climate with cases like the exposure of crimes against Britney Spears in her legal guardianship case warranted such a film that exposed the inner workings and sometimes unfairness of the system at hand.

I Care A Lot: What is the Plot? 

Marla convinces Judge Lomax (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) to appoint her as a legal guardian over elderly persons who can no longer care for themselves. In reality, she prefers to put her “wards” in assisted living facilities and cut them off from the outside world so she and Fran (Eiza González) may sell their homes and possessions for a profit. Dr Karen Amos (Alicia Witt) and Sam Rice (Damian Young), the manager of Berkshire Oaks, a nursing home for the elderly, are also involved in the scheme.

Things take an exciting turn when Amos finds a new target for Marla – Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), who appears to be the perfect target. Marla ships her off to Berkshire Oaks and take control of her assets. She even finds a bunch of undocumented diamonds in the process and plans to sell them. But little does she know, Jennifer isn’t a simple ol’ character; she is the mother of a mafia boss, Roman, who is ruthless and will do everything to remove his mother from the legal guardianship system. But Marla, being who she is, doesn’t back down so easily and puts up an equal fight.

Marla wins a court lawsuit against a man who claims the old lady was unfairly guarded by Marla. Instead of a serious crime drama, Blakeson developed a dark comedy that satirizes feminism and crime stereotypes. And, this is what makes this movie so fascinating to watch because it is not your usual dull and dark crime story, and it is more of a satire that has characters with added spice and fervour. 

The plot unravels with its defiant tone, action-packed sequences, and exciting turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy seeing what the characters, many of whom lack morals, do next. Depending on what’s going on screen, we can either root for no one, everyone, or someone, making for a fun and fascinating ride. We can empathize with Fran the most – yet she’s still involved in the crimes!

The Characters and the Actors 

Rosamund Pike does justice to her character; she is the embodiment of the American Dream. Young, stylish, and ruthless. She focuses on what she wants, and she gets it. Rosamund has a class that could give any leading male or female actor a run for their money. Even as a lawyer approaches her doorstep with a bag full of cash to release her newest ward, Jennifer, she doesn’t back down but notices that there are deep pockets from where that money came from. It’s very pleasing to see a female character being so brutal and in the role of a con artist. We have so many examples of men playing such roles and being remembered for them.

Peter Dinklage also plays a significant role in the movie and away from the stereotype of his character. Although he comes back to avenge his mother, the film still doesn’t feel like a crime drama. It feels like a light watch and keeps Marla’s character as the protagonist, despite her vices. The movie would have turned into a depressing saga if Blakeson had made this serious and gone in-depth about the corruption. 

Blakeson offers a unique method, which has several benefits. The picture is a riot of exuberant turmoil with plenty of tension and fun. It allows us to see Marla and Roman, two stubborn sociopaths, battle it out for their desires. The tension between these two characters is thrilling and adds to the hilarity that distracts us from the film’s more serious themes.

We are not expected to identify with any character in the Netflix movie I Care a Lot. Marla has no motive other than to be wealthy. She says she doesn’t care about her mother since she’s a “sociopath,” and that’s it for Marla’s backstory. She’s hilarious, and Dinklage’s persona is too. Their characteristics allow us to see a side of life we wouldn’t ordinarily see. Jennifer is the daughter of a mafia boss who is hiding stolen gems. Blakeson doesn’t humanize his characters by going into their backstories; therefore, they’re all-powerful and defined.

The Core Message of the Movie 

Despite the very light outlook and satirical tone of the movie, the message under the surface is simple. We don’t expect authority figures or people that we know to con us or do something terrible to us. After all, the law is placed there to protect us and guard us, right? It can’t possibly harm us. It’s hard to think that something set in place to protect and support us could ever be undermined by criminals, yet most people get rich by abusing the vulnerable.

This is the core misconception of the human mind. You look at Marla’s character, who is so well put together, high up in society, and has such excellent dressing sense. You ask her what she does for a living, and she says that she takes care of the elderly, and bang, you have a saint on your hands. Would you ever think that someone like this was exploiting these old people and extorting their money to build their own wealth? You have to be very suspicious as a person to think that. 

Marla asks us whether we genuinely trust and support her just because she looks and acts the part while showing us all of the awful things she’s capable of. Do you think lovely people commit crimes and violence? Should we trust billionaires only because they look great? How did they get their money? What is fair? The rest of the world thinks Marla’s ploy is lawful, so she gets away with it. Marla has a secret that she reveals early in the film. She tells us she used to believe that hard work and fair play lead to success and pleasure.

I Care A Lot: Real-World Connect

This movie is based on actual events. In 2019, April Parks, a private professional guardian firm owner, and three colleagues abused their powers. After an investigation, she was given a term of 16 to 40 years in prison. Park had more than two thefts of property, illegal use of her powers and one count of perjury. Victims called her “the worst predator of her kind”. All in all, it is safe to say that the system isn’t exactly fair with examples like what happened with Britney spears surfacing now. 

Conclusion

Marla’s story teaches us that nothing in life is black and white, and there is no hard line between good and evil out there. The film has complex yet simple characters that you will learn to love [and hate]. It covers the brutal reality of the legal system in such a manner that doesn’t make you feel heavy or down but still gets the message across in the most effective way possible. You will end up surprising yourself as you feel empathy for a character that is supposed to be “bad” according to all grounds set for good and evil by all doctrines in the world. 

Blakeson has stayed true to his style of direction and has created something that exposes a deep-rooted problem in the legal guardianship system while entertaining the viewers through such strong and beckoning characters. 

What did you think about I Care A Lot? Do leave your thoughts in the comments section below.