I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
It would be wrong to suggest that Rosamund Pike hasn’t enjoyed a hugely successful career.
After all, she did make her on-screen debut in a James Bond film, 2002's Die Another Day. Since then, she has starred opposite Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher, shone in both A United Kingdom and A Private War, while she even earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination after stealing every one of her scenes in Gone Girl.
Yet, her talent is so obvious and endless, it feels as though Pike should be leading a new film every year, and Netflix's I Care a Lot is the latest proof of her brilliance on screen.
Clearly the rest of the film industry agrees, too, as she has already been nominated for a Best Actress award at this year’s Golden Globes for her portrayal of the horrendously devious Marla Grayson. The legal guardian to dozens of elderly women, Grayson uses her close relationships with doctors, care home workers and judges to take control of their finances in their final years.
When we first see Grayson she is going toe to toe with the son of her latest victim in court. She knows exactly how to play the legal game, and is able to defeat him with such imperious ease it immediately showcases just how calculated and cunning the character is, while also establishing the cynical tone that flows throughout the entire film.
The more we see Grayson excelling as a thief dressed in expensive clothing, the more impressive, as well as terrifying, she becomes. Not only is she doing the wrong thing, but she’s doing it with a smile and getting away with it so easily.
Writer and director J Blakeson does a superb job at hooking viewers in with her despicable antics. Initially, he shows us the reaction Grayson’s actions provoke, before introducing us to her new target and then breaking down the ins and outs that lead to her becoming their legal guardian.
As a result, you're constantly made to ask questions, which I Care a Lot answers accordingly without ever drowning the audience in needless information. The action is then set against a backdrop of bright locations, colourful sets, alluring cinematography and a hypnotic soundtrack that constantly acts as a reminder of the film's menace.
This is where Peter Dinklage mysteriously enters the fray as the unknown son of Grayson's current mark. He just so happens to be a gangster in hiding. Unsurprisingly, the Game of Thrones veteran manages to be both threatening and hilarious, sometimes at the same time, while also sporting a superb man-bun.
At this point, around the halfway mark of I Care a Lot, Dinklage's presence instantly elevates what had already been an engrossing dark comedy. It quickly becomes apparent that, like Grayson, he has very few, if any, redeeming features, and every character in the film is despicable.
That isn't a problem until I Care a Lot starts to incorporate action scenes, turning into a thriller. During these sequences, which are supposed to be tense and exhilarating, there's no one to root for as everyone deserves their comeuppance.
As a result, you're left feeling numb and uninvested for the entire final act, turning what could have been a great film into something more mediocre. Sure, Pike's brilliance means I Care a Lot is always watchable. But considering just how enjoyable and gripping it was for its first hour, it's impossible not to be disappointed by its failed attempt to up the ante, which only makes it fall flat.
I Care a Lot is on Netflix now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars