I Care a Lot

Care work with a twist: Marla (Rosemund Pike) is a professional caregiver for seniors. But she’s not the kind of caregiver a caring family member would hope for. Cunningly, Marla takes over guardianship of the seniors entrusted to her so she can place them in nursing homes and ultimately enrich herself at their expense. So far, so profitable—until one day Marla runs into the wrong senior citizen, or rather, the wrong son: her new victim, Mrs. Peterson (Dianne Wiest), happens to be the mother of the city’s most feared mob boss. Needless to say, he’s less than pleased when he uncovers Marla’s schemes—suddenly turning the con artist into the criminals’ target herself. The main character, portrayed by Rosamund Pike in this darkly humorous thriller-satire with a brilliant cast, is fascinating yet deeply unsympathetic. In particular, its critique of the abuse of power, greed, and legal gray areas elevates the film to a biting social commentary. The superbly performed ensemble cast more than makes up for the occasionally over-the-top plot twists. All in all, “I Care a Lot” is an original, entertaining, and provocative film that leaves a lasting impression.