Netflix's I Care A Lot thriller had audiences praising the outstanding performance of the cast and it has received great reviews. Marla Grayson is the lead character and a con woman who ends up with possession of the assets (and control of the life) of Jennifer Peterson. Marla's dominance over the elderly woman prompts her to act in despicable ways in order to ensure that the old lady remains defenseless while she proceeds with a plan to become rich in the process.

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But Marla's character is not too different from the one that actress Rosamund Pike played in 2014's Gone GirlBoth Marla and Amy Dunne are psychologically riveting as their personalities approach the same theme, one that is focused on women abusing power. There are reasons why I Care A Lot is considered the best, and other reasons that prove it just missed the mark.

Missed The Mark: The Victim's Pain Is Not So Explicit

Nick addresses a crowd with a picture of his missing wife behind him in Gone Girl

Dianne Wiest's character Jennifer is Marla's chosen victim to be taken advantage of, financially speaking. There are parts of the movie where fans feel sorry for what is about to be done to this lady, especially when Ms. Grayson, as her legal guardian, orders a medical team to prevent some of Jennifer's basic needs to be met. But the audience never actually sees the old woman being abused.

Instead, she always comes off as being very much in control of her physical and mental wellbeing, despite all the attempts to break her. While Gone Girl's Ben Affleck's character was not always someone the audience wants to root for, they do get to see his struggles as his disturbing discoveries about his wife's twisted disappearance make him grief every step of the way.

Does Better: The Anti-Hero Is More Evil

Marla Grayson holds coffee as she stands in front of a wall of photos

Against all common sense, morals, or even respect for her clients, Marla's professional, court-appointed guardianships are not immediate villain actions. It's that she is sneaky in her ways of seducing her clients and anyone in the courtroom. The dozens of elderly wards from who she has stolen are charmed by her sweet talk until, before they know it, she turns into an evil, cold-hearted person who couldn't care less about their wellbeing.

This type of mean-spirited motive is more evident here than in Gone Girl. There, the anti-hero is more subtle, Amy's reasons for acting the way she does become somewhat understandable, and fans only really learn about her aberrant masterplan much later in the film.

Missed The Mark: The Narrative Is Predictable

Marla Grayson takes a bath

While both movies portray two thrilling characters with a penchant for monologues and violence, I Care A Lot has a narrative that viewers saw coming. It certainly isn't as mysterious or intriguing as Gone Girl's story is. Marla Grayson has an opening narration where she details everything about her shameless business approach and about the specifics of guardian laws.

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But as time goes by, fans can anticipate most of her actions whereas, in Gone Girl, the storyline is dependent on constant reversals of plot twists. As soon as the audience thinks they understand what's happening, it becomes something else, over and over again.

Does Better: Queer Representation

Eiza Gonzalez in front of a wall of photos

Fran, Marla's girlfriend in the I Care A Lot film, is portrayed by the talented actress Eiza Gonzalez. The villain's lover, and business partner, plays an important role in helping her darling be successful in her scams. It's not until the couple messes with the wrong woman, Jennifer, that they find some shady secrets and connections to a dangerous gangster.

It's a positive thing that the movie embraced a lesbian relationship that is at the core of the protagonist's winning formula for what she does. This is more proof that LGBTQ+ stories can appeal to a wider audience, whereas Gone Girl has a more cliché kind-of-a-story between an unhappy married heterosexual couple.

Missed The Mark: Lack Of Background Story

Rosamund Pike stares off with Ben Affleck in the background

There's no question that Gone Girl is more explored. Part of that is due to the purposeful narration moments that give viewers all the hints about who Amy was, from her childhood to her meeting her future husband. The audience is more engaged with this character's arc much more so than with Marla.

Amy's dark and disturbing background provided edge-of-the-seat suspense in most scenes whereas, in Marla's case, fans are told what her deal is at the beginning of the film and then it's mostly about seeing her making things happen.

Does Better: Dangerously Real Protagonist

Marla Grayson smirks while drinking coffee

Unfortunately, Marla's scams in I Care A Lot, exist in real life more than people would like to know or at least feel very possible. While guardianships have an important role in assessing and providing adult care for those who are unable to do so for themselves, there are corrupt professionals who just want to rob senior citizens.

Lawyers who have a power of attorney know their ways around the justice system and might potentially become dangerous to their protected people. Even though Amy's Gone Girl character is also entirely possible to exist, it doesn't look as likely as the one in the first movie.

Missed The Mark: The Villain's Motivation Is Less Relatable

Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck face to face arguing

From the first moment, fans learn that Marla is a dangerous criminal who uses others as means to her ends. Yet, her final goal purely concerns her financial gain from vulnerable people. Granted, things turn into a bloody mess more so than in Gone Girl, but in I Care A Lot Marla walks around wielding her character’s power and agenda like nobody’s business.

In the case of the 2014 movie, Amy was living what she called a "nightmare" of a love story gone cold which prompted her to engage in a revenge fantasy against her husband. Her dark motivation mostly comes from the wreck of a marriage that she was in. This villain's driving forces were more relatable than Marla's.

Does Better: Peter Dinklage's Character

Peter Dinklage with a frown in I Care A Lot

One of I Care A Lot's best things is Peter Dinklage's brilliant participation. He co-stars as Roman Lunyov, a Russian-American mobster who doesn't want to stop until he is able to free Jennifer from Marla's spell. Later on in the movie, the audience learns that he is related to the senior woman.

Initially, the fast-talking mob lawyer didn't seem intimidated about Roman's interference in this process but, as time went by, his viciousness was also revealed and the two get into a cat-and-mouse chase trying to kill each other. In this dark crime satire, Peter shows that he can be the scariest gangster ever. Gone Girl didn't feature a character like this.

Missed The Mark: The Script

A stressed Ben Affleck on the phone

The black comedy I Care A Lot was written and directed by English filmmaker J Blakeson. While its fresh perspective, from a villain's point of view, on the systemic ableism of the healthcare industry is audacious storytelling, Gone Girl is the winner on this one.

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The dialogue is better and the complexity involved in the characters' depth and background stories are more memorable than the Netflix release. Plus, director David Fincher's work was acknowledged by critics for bringing out Amy's villainous, broken, and strong traits beautifully in a mind-bending thriller.

Does Better: Power Abuse

Peter Dinkalge sits next to Rosamund Pike and talks to her

While "Amy is a genuine heartbroken sociopath who also commits murder," as said by Rosamund, "Marla's done terrible things and her hustle is, frankly, appalling and odious." And that pretty much sums up how I Care A Lot does it better when it comes to representing power abuse in societies with greedy motives.

What these characters have in common is that they're reprehensible in the way they act but their major difference is what lies behind their actions. Elderly people being manipulated is an extremely sensitive topic, and as Marla's plan goes wrong when the gangster son learns about her operation, her ascending ruthless control over Jennifer becomes astounding and cruel.

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