Grove City Messenger - March 7th, 2021

PAGE 16 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - March 7, 2021
With so many awful people living among
us on this planet, it is no wonder why those
who are seeking an escape through film,
television, or literature shun fictionalized
works that feature morally reprehensible
topics or morally reprehensible characters.
And while I do respect their point of view,
and even agree with it to a certain extent, I
also feel that those who disengage completely
are shutting themselves out of
opportunities for complex discourse with
real-world implications or depriving themselves
of immersive art through rich text
and fascinating on-screen performances.
For example, one such work that is currently
being debated to the entertainment
sphere is “I Care a Lot,” a film that touches
upon the exploitation of senior citizens or
those deemed “unfit in mind,” made possible
by the collusion between government
institutions and corporate and criminal
enterprises. When it debuted last week on
Netflix, it sparked a frenzied discourse as it
arrived with a strange intersection of current,
real-world events — one where interest
in court-appointed conservatorship is at
an all-time high due to articles and documentaries
related to the case involving
Britney Spears and one where society is
reckoning with how little oversight is given
to some facilities housing our country’s
elders. In addition to this discourse, which
has been eye-opening, informative, and
enraging and depressing, the film also critiques
the #GirlBoss mindset, reminding
those that just because a woman is in a
powerful position does not mean she is not
abusing, or cannot abuse, her authority
just as much as any #BoyBoss.
But while “I Care a Lot” wants to delve
into these topics, it does not go too far into
its murky depth; instead, it prefers to skim
the waters, pointing out things here and
there in favor of a more entertaining and
fast-paced movie. And to be sure, it is just
that, but I also think it would have been
better served had it remained focus on a
singular plot rather than lose it halfway
through for more entertainment value.
In the film, the fabulous Rosamund Pike
(or Amazing Amy from “Gone Girl”) plays
Marla Grayson, a court-appointed
guardian who specialized in elder care.
Working legally through the system but
with the assistance of shady doctors and
nursing home executives, she finds seniors
who either have no family or family members
willing to take them in, puts them into
an assisted living facility and proceeds to
drain them of every asset they have
acquired throughout their lives.
Having amassed a small fortunate (but
not enough, it is never enough) through her
business venture, Marla and her work/nonwork
partner, Fran (Eiza Gonzalez), set off
to find their next mark, er, ward after their
latest unexpectedly dies. Upon the recommendation
of a shady doctor, they establish
a route in the life path of Jennifer Peterson
(the equally fabulous Dianne Wiest) who
In Entertainment
www.columbusmessenger.com
Viewers can loathe and like the main character in “I Care a Lot”
they caustically refer to as a “cherry.” A
cherry, they gush to the doctor who is set to
declare Jennifer as a ward due to a dubiously
diagnosis of “rapid mental decline,” is
someone who has no living spouse, no living
children, and no living relatives to get
in their way. So, with all of this information
on her status, and with a healthy bank
account to her name, they believe Jennifer
is ripe for the picking. They soon discover
they should have picked another mark.
In a surprising turn of events for Marla
and Fran, the whole “no living relative”
turns out to be a mistake — and quite a big
one. This long-held secret, or so we are led
to believe at first, puts them on the path of
some hardcore people, led by the fearsome
Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage). At first,
Roman respects their hustle and asks
Marla to release Jennifer from her care
immediately. Stubborn to a fault and
unwilling to heed to the threats of any man
(it also doesn’t help that he denied her
request for millions of dollars to do so), she
digs in, uncaring of anything but her need
for more money and control. Later, as she
is caught in their own tightly spun web, she
laments that they are not playing fair. And
while you hate to agree with her on anything,
you kinda do from a viewer’s perspective.
While Marla meets Roman, the film,
once a cutting look at the shady side of
elder care, turns into an adventure-thriller
complete with rapid-fire montages set
The Reel Deal
Dedra Cordle
against electro-music. It makes for a complete
tonal shift and one cannot help but to
think of Marla’s comment about wanting
her rival to play by her rules. Just think of
how great it could have been had Jennifer’s
friends, all senior citizens like her, banded
together to fight Marla and the system
through legal and dubiously legal means.
But instead of that twist, we get something
altogether interesting but inconsistent
with the rest of the film.
But despite the complaints about the
drifting plot, “I Care a Lot” is an engaging
film with some terrific performances, most
notable from Pike. With her sharp, blonde
bob, power suits, killer heels and outward
projection of false kindness, Marla is an
unabashedly deceitful human, not caring
about who she hurts and how it hurts them
as long as she gets her slice of the sweet
life. Pike plays her so subtly and serenely
menacing and it is so, dare I say, fun to
watch. While in the real world, you would
(hopefully) loathe a person like this, but in
a fictionalized setting it’s just a delight to
be able to catch a performance like this and
to be able read the discourse on a multifaceted
character and a multi-faceted topic.
Grade: B
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer
and columnist.
Special!
Cheese Ravoli
$3.99
Tammy’s Pizza
Carry-out! 2 Locations!
Voted #1 Pizza in Grove City
SR 665 & Hoover Rd.
614-875-8525
3984 Broadway
614-875-2345
Open 11a-9p SUN-THU and 11a-10p FRI-SAT
Gluten Free Pizzas Available! - Our Dough is Made fresh daily. We use only Grande Cheese and Premium Pepperoni
Tammy’s Pizza Tammy’s Pizza Tammy’s Pizza Tammy’s Pizza
10 % OFF 10 % OFF
Your Entire Order!
Expires 3/31/21. No other specials, coupons or discounts.
Limit one coupon per day. Not valid on major holidays.
Coupons must be given to cashier.
Date Redeemed:_________________Order #__________
OFF
$
5 $
3
MEAL DEAL
Any 16” Pizza & Sub &
X-Large Breadsticks
Expires 3/31/21. No other specials, coupons or discounts.
Limit one coupon per day. Not valid on major holidays.
Coupons must be given to cashier.
Date Redeemed:_________________Order #__________
OFF
Any Two 14” Or
Two 16” Pizzas
Expires 3/31/21. No other specials, coupons or discounts.
Limit one coupon per day. Not valid on major holidays.
Coupons must be given to cashier.
Date Redeemed:_________________Order #__________
Your Entire Order!
Expires 3/31/21. No other specials, coupons or discounts.
Limit one coupon per day. Not valid on major holidays.
Coupons must be given to cashier.
Date Redeemed:_________________Order #__________
www.TammysPizza.com