The world of good and bad isn’t always black and white. And in more modern stories there seems to be an embrace of the likeable bad guy. But, in the world we live in, how much can you fault a bad guy who goes against a bad guy for the right reasons? How bad is the bad guy who does bad things for the greater good? And aren’t these stories valuable, not for the lesson involved but for helping us find the lines we won’t cross? I Care A Lot is the story of a court appointed guardian who takes her wards for a ride, extracting everything she is able to and within the boundaries of the law. However, she finds what seems to be the perfect target, finding out later that she is much more trouble than she is worth. With a cast featuring Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage this is worth checking out. But, how good was it?
The acting is spot on, but I think that this is a case of having a fighter jet engine powering a Peugot. There are plenty of scenes Pike and Dinklage share which could have been much better. And you can almost feel the potential screaming through each scene. Both have great reputations for past roles and both are credited with great foundation to back it. But, you wouldn’t know it with this film. These actors were really held back and it comes across like a sledgehammer. The film direction was good. Nothing innovative or note worthy, but it didn’t suck and there are some moments that really shine for the director. You wouldn’t know it was a Netflix movie and with better material it could have been phenomenal. The script was flat. It really left a lot to be desired and put the entire production in a stranglehold.
The limitations it put on the actors weren’t only a hindrance to them, but the entire film. By limiting the actors, the characters fell short. And that only left so much for the director and cinematographer to work with. Not only was the dialogue drab, the plot was deflated. This film beamed with potential and that was all left in the ditch. It made me very sad to think of what this movie could have been. There isn’t anything to mention as far as mood manipulation, color palette, aesthetics or even cinematography. It was all par for the course. And honestly, it wouldn’t have done much good. The foundation of the film, which was the script, felt like an afterthought.
Overall, the film was ok. It could have been better, by a longshot. You can see how much better the movie could have been and it is almost frustrating to think about. With a better script this movie could have been phenomenal. A harder gangster would have made all the difference. I found myself cheering for the bad guy, but I didn’t feel bad about it because he wasn’t as bad as he could have been. I would have preferred a bad guy I rooted for that made me question how bad he was or if I was as bad as he was. But, what I got was a bad guy who wasn’t as bad as his reputation. I would give it a seven and I would suggest some sort of alcoholic beverage if you’re going to watch it.
