No one is going to typecast Rosamund Pike. The Oscar-nominated actress is far too talented to be pidgeonholed, though there is no denying that she has a unique talent for playing brainy, icy characters who seem to be two steps ahead of whomever her competition might be. This dates all the way back to her days in the James Bond franchise (she played Miranda Frost in the 2002 installment Die Another Day opposite Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry), and continues to her latest Netflix thriller, I Care A Lot.
Because of her pattern, I asked Pike which of her previous characters could best match wits with his current I Care A Lot character, Marla, and Pike went right to where I figured she would: Gone Girl’s Amy Dunne. Watch the clip above.
Writing about I Care A Lot can be a real challenge, particularly because J. Blakeson’s pitch-black story contains a wealth of unpredictable twists and turns, and it’s best that you go into it as blind as possible. Here’s what I can tell you about Rosamund Pike’s character, Marla Grayson. She’s extremely good at her job, which involves taking over the legal rights to elderly folks who are deemed unable to care for themselves, either physically or mentally. She helps them from their homes, and into the convenience of an elderly care facility, usually at the behest of the courts, because these seniors don’t have family of their own.
Except, what if these people don’t want to go? And what if they disagree with the court that they are unable to make up their own minds, and care for themselves on a daily basis? How do you get the upperhand on Marla, and her devious tactics?
When asked how Marla would face off against Amy Dunne, the similarly devious title role of David Fincher’s brilliant adaptation of Gone Girl, Rosamund Pike reflected:
It could be that Marla comes out on top, because Amy is a meticulous planner. Amy needs to have everything prepared in advance, down to the last tee. She has everything worked out, in the most incredible way. But Marla can respond and react on her feet. She’s more of the sort of street fighter. So, it depends on how much preparation Amy had had. [laughs] If Amy had full preparation, I think Amy would win. If she had LESS time to prepare, then Marla would win.
Now I just want to see these two incredible characters matching wits in a cat-and-mouse game, because the real winner there is the audience… and fans of Rosamund Pike.
I Care A Lot got raves out of the Toronto Film Festival when it premiered, and will now screen on Netflix. Beginning Friday, Feb. 19. Our own Eric Eisenberg gave it a perfect 5 stars, and he’s correct. Watch it. It will not let you down.
