Vivid characters of the Swindler - all about the heroes of the crime thriller

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

On February 19, 2021, the crime thriller "Swindler" (I Care a Lot) is released on Russian screens. Let's talk about the characters of the film, because it has such an amazing cast - the star of "Gone Girl" Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage from "Game of Thrones" and many others. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She has been critically acclaimed and has a current rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Marla Grayson

“We've never seen characters as ambitious as Marla Grayson before,” says producer Ben Stillman. - She crosses the line over and over again, but the viewer does not want to restrain her. Although, it is worth confessing, there are few who will justify her desire to receive what, in her opinion, belongs to her undividedly."

“We understand that Marla has been fighting for her place in the sun all her life and does not intend to stop,” continues Michael Heimler. - She will not stop her pursuit of her dream. We all loved this quality of the heroine, and Rosamund was the perfect contender for this role. In her performance, Marla became sly, self-confident, stylish and calm. She played this role in such a way that you just can't look away from Marla."

“Marla is very ambitious, smart, goal-oriented, focused and charismatic,” says Jay Blakeson. “Rosamund was perfect for the role. Judging by the roles she has played, she is an incredibly talented actress. In addition, she possesses exceptional charm and charisma, and Marla in her performance has acquired the same character traits that made her an even more interesting character. It was enough for Rosamund to read the script once to understand all the ins and outs of her heroine. She offered some of her thoughts and considerations related to the character, and it was obvious to the naked eye that she liked working on the role herself. When an actor approaches the job with such zeal, the result is always impressive. As in this case."

“She had to be cold-blooded, calculating and hypocritical, but at the same time inspire confidence and win over the interlocutor in order to convince the judge and jury that even her own mother could be trusted with her care,” explains Schwartzman. - Rosamund has repeatedly demonstrated her acting talent, appearing in the frame in a variety of roles. Whether it's a costume drama like Pride and Prejudice or an action-packed thriller like Gone Girl, Rosamund could easily be soft, empathetic and kind, or exude chilling coldness and aggression. The role of Marla required a combination of a wide variety of character traits, depending on the circumstances. Rosamund willingly took on this difficult job, and this role became, in my opinion, one of the brightest in her career. Watching her, it was difficult to look away."

“Marla and I can be called aspiring women,” says Pike. - We love our job and, it seems to me, we both have a craving for risk and danger. However, she has no fear of death, I cannot boast of that. Marla does not like the idea of dying, but death itself does not cause panic horror in her. At the same time, she fights for life, as befits a purposeful hero. It is not so important for me whether you perceive her as a heroine or as an antagonist, since it is simply impossible not to admire her brilliant resourcefulness."

"There is not a single weak point in Marla," says costume designer Deborah Newhall. - All her thoughts are occupied only by business and nothing else. Entering the frame, she seems to cut the scene in half, like a sharp knife."

“Marla's suit is fine-tuned to the smallest detail, because in her world, errors are unacceptable, - says Jay Blakeson. - Her office is very clean. She likes everything to be symmetrical, neat and exactly in place. Even her hairstyle is perfect, do not find fault. In a word, I hope Marla will become a very unusual, extraordinary movie heroine."

Colleagues gladly accepted Pike's choice for the lead role. “Rosamund is incredibly talented,” says actress Eisa Gonzalez. - You don't often see an actor of her level who would continue to strive for self-improvement. Working with her is a real gift of fate. It is very comfortable with her both in the frame and outside, because she is very sincere. She wants each of the actors to show their best. Imagine - the actress in the lead role is worried about the extras! She is always ready to cheer up, and when something works out, she is sincerely happy. It's contagious and everyone gets more fun."

“I've always wanted to work with Rosamund,” admits Peter Dinklage. - Working with her in the frame, you experience a genuine thrill. I'm a big fan of her work, I especially liked her in the movie "A Private War". She is fearless, which is a very useful character trait for an actor. She carefully examines her role and is not afraid to appear in front of the camera in an unsightly light. In general, many are frightened by such a prospect, but for an actor this is an important part of the work. The modern trend is that everyone should be good, all characters should evoke sympathy from the viewer, and this is far from the best choice in some cases. It should be added that Rosamund is not only fearless, but also very patient and kind. It's a pleasure to work with her."

“Rosamund works out little by little,” says Chris Messina, who, as a lawyer, had to confront Pike's heroine. - She revealed the character of her heroine from a variety of angles. There is a struggle for power, and Marla's fear of the future, and an attempt to find meaning in what is happening. In some scenes, it was very difficult to play, but she seemed to cope with all the difficulties playfully, never closed. I really enjoyed working with Rosamund. She is a great actress."

“In the courtroom scene, Rosamund makes you believe that Marla is not doing anything reprehensible,” says Isaiah Whitlock Jr., who plays the compliant Judge Lomax. - Whatever you think to yourself, but her passion and reasoning are so convincing that they force you to reconsider your decision. You will immediately understand that in relation to this heroine there can be no unambiguous judgment, you cannot unconditionally call her either a heroine or a villainess. Throughout the film, you will have to worry about guesswork, waiting for what the scams will lead Marla to”.

Marla and Fran

Without her partner, Marla would not have been able to plan and pull off any of her shenanigans. “Fran in this duo remains behind the scenes,” says Jay Blakeson. “Fran is doing reconnaissance and is mostly busy with paperwork. She is very hardworking, in the past she worked in the police, acted as a surety on bail, she has many talents that are extremely useful in her and Marla's field of work. Among other things, she is very attached to Marla."

“Marlu and Fran have a very warm relationship that others don't know about,” says Schwartzman. - Smart and straightforward Fran is a kind of moral compass in our history. In general, this woman is perhaps the only one in the movie "Swindler" who can distinguish good from evil, and it is thanks to her that Marla is still able to remember what is most important in the world."

“Fran is not devoid of an instinct for self-preservation,” notes Eisa Gonzalez, who played the role. “When things get out of hand, she says," We've gone too far. " I think the point is how different life was between Fran and Marla. Fran has been in this world for quite some time. She acted as a surety on bail, so she understands how much she risks, and, of course, she is afraid. She is still able to distinguish the degree of danger."

“As an employee of the essentially criminal company Grayson Guardians, Fran is no stranger to the humanity, warmth, kindness and love that she conveys to Marla, and with her to the audience,” Stillman said. - For this role, we were looking for a unique, not familiar actress, about whom the audience did not have a preconceived opinion; the one with whose eyes we could show the world of the film."

“Eiza Gonzalez is an amazing actress because she has everything that we have been looking for so carefully,” says Blakeson. - She could play emotional vulnerability, and the next second become strong, furious and desperate, while the essence of the character did not change. She came to the project very well prepared, asked many interesting and important questions and delved into her role. It was just a fantastic approach to work. In addition, they looked very harmonious in the shot with Rosamund."

“Fran is the only person Marla Grayson loves infinitely and truly trusts,” says Pike. - There are many qualities in Marla that are not admirable. Perhaps to some they will seem worthy of respect, but certainly not admiration. And I think it is extremely important to show that despite these qualities, Marla has someone to love and someone to be loved. Marla does not reveal her vulnerability to anyone other than Fran. Asa Gonzalez in this role looked more than organic. She was able to convey all the nuances and subtleties of the character of her heroine, especially the emotionality and soulfulness of Fran. It was very comfortable for me to work in Aisa's company, I felt completely liberated. It was a very difficult relationship between two women, who, on the one hand, are well acquainted and treat each other with warmth, and on the other, make up an effective criminal duet. The most interesting thing about this duo is that there is no weakness in them, but they know how to be soft and pliable. I found this aspect interesting. These two really cool women in moments of calm, in moments when no one sees them, they know how and are not afraid to be emotional and vulnerable."

"It's Bonnie and Bonnie's relationship," laughs Gonzalez. - We really liked to get used to the role of heroines who are ready not to part until the grave. I grew up watching movies like The Nice Guys, with old-school heroic men. None of them condemned any of them, did they? Even though they did terrible things, we loved these characters because they stayed true to themselves. You rarely see such heroines. I have a feeling that Fran and Marla will not be too attractive. But they remain honest and loyal to their cause, and this incredibly disposes the viewer to them. Once upon a time, such heroes often appeared on large screens, and our bright and memorable heroines are called to return this good time. At the same time, neither Fran nor Marla have any superpowers, they still achieve their plans."

The role became an invaluable opportunity for Gonzalez, which she simply could not refuse.

“The role of Fran was both challenging and exciting for me,” explains the actress. - The fact is that I do not look like her at all. When I started reading the script, I felt scared in the good sense of the word - I had never played anything like this before. I needed to find and carefully maintain a certain balance. On the one hand, there was a love line with Marla. This was new to me, and yet I tried to retreat from the imposed stereotypes as much as I could. On the other hand, as a Latin American actress, it was interesting for me to try some new role, and not just another stereotypical Latin American doll. In general, Jay took a big risk with casting. We were all different from our characters. But in the end everything turned out as well as possible."

"Fran usually stays in the shadows, and she is quite happy with this alignment," continues Gonzalez.- Of course, it is much more comfortable to work when there is no need to do styling and apply makeup. It was fun to play a role in which my appearance didn't matter at all. That is, it is very rare when you can appear in front of the camera without a hint of makeup, given the roles I have starred in before and what kind of audience I am expecting to see. With Fran's help, I wanted to break the Latina beauty stereotype and finally play something really worthwhile. That's what I said to Jay from the very beginning. I really got used to this role - I began to walk differently, my posture changed. I remember I had to go to some kind of premiere, which was scheduled during the filming period. There, of course, there was a dress code - dress, heels. In a word, you had to be such a girl. But I couldn't, because I spent too much time in the image of Fran. I'm used to boots, jeans, T-shirts and no makeup."

Marla and Roman

"Roman is like Marla, only he runs his affairs on the other side of the law," says Jay Blakeson. - At the first meeting, it seems that he is an influential and wealthy person who is associated with the underworld. But the more we get to know him, the more we realize that he is by no means the ordinary villain he seemed. He has a difficult relationship with his mother, tries to keep himself in shape and fights uncontrollable outbursts of rage. Can we say that he is worse than Marla? I would not say that it is worse. That is, he, of course, is worse than Marla in that he achieves his goals in illegal ways and does not even shun murder. Marla carries out her ethically dubious machinations under the guise of the law, and Roman conducts his equally dubious cases from the point of view of ethics, ignoring the law. But this does not mean that she becomes more attractive from this. I think this clearly proves that each of us has our own yin and yang, a kind of harmony. Marla and Roman made worthy competition to each other."

“Roman had to do terrible things by his occupation,” says Dinklage, “but he's not afraid to get dirty by breaking the law. Marla unwittingly makes a mistake, taking up the business of his mother, because she is the only Achilles' heel of Roman. It had to happen that out of all the variety of potential clients, she chose this very old woman. Roman declares a real vendetta to Marla. Marla had no idea who this Jennifer Peterson was, but Roman is convinced that the fraudster knew everything and purposefully took up arms against him. Narcissism tells him that the crooks had malicious intent against him personally, but in reality, this is just a coincidence. The rivalry causes both Marla and Roman to respect the enemy. They are very similar in many ways, and I love how we managed to show that in the film."

“We were very lucky that Peter Dinklage agreed to play in the film,” says Schwartzman. “We've seen many different kinds of gangsters. Playing a similar role, it is not difficult to break into a cliché, but Peter managed to make his character unusual and irresistible. We involuntarily admire Roman, his sense of humor, his energy. We understand that he is a worthy competitor to such a merciless fraudster like Marla."

“Peter was able to play a very complex character,” agrees with producer Blakeson. - I have been following his career with interest for a long time. He was great in The Station Warden and Life in Oblivion, and of course Game of Thrones. Peter is a unique, talented and charismatic actor who attracts the eye. In his eyes, as they say, devils are dancing. It was very pleasant and interesting to watch him get used to the new role."

“Lord, what can I say? Rosamund Pike throws up his hands. “Peter Dinklage is the perfect accomplice, such an accomplice can only be dreamed of. I've dreamed of working with Peter for a long time, because I love his work. I adore him as a person and as a professional because he brings his originality to every role he plays. He is very smart, agile, charismatic, sexy and has an exceptional sense of humor. He gave all these qualities to his character Roman. The interesting thing is that this film is about an extremely organized woman. For most of the film, Marla looks very collected. At the same time, the true vanity lies precisely in the Roman, whose role was played by Peter. It is he who admires himself, shaking his muscles, and preening himself in front of the mirror. Initially, we decided to experiment with hairstyles - both of our heroes have the same styling, as if hinting that the characters are not so different. Peter watched my scenes and tried to convey my demeanor in his scenes. We were constantly spying on each other, and this was reflected in the behavior of our characters. We were like yin and yang. They are similar to each other, but still very different. This makes some sense! Our characters are molded from the same dough. In addition, they have a respect that borders on envy for their opponent. The notorious villains in our performance met on the path of life, and both had the thought: "Hmm, there is something to profit from." This role was especially interesting to play in tandem with Peter."

“A lot of the film is about getting ready for the moment Marla and Roman meet,” notes Blakeson. - Since I shot the scenes with Rosamund and Peter separately, meeting these wonderful actors in the frame was also an event. They looked very harmonious in the frame, and this gave its results. Their characters were in confrontation, so it was extremely interesting for us to see how the actors played together scenes on the set."

“Working with Peter Dinklage is phenomenal,” says costume designer Deborah Newhall. - I created a full-fledged wardrobe for his character - all kinds of raincoats, suits, shirts, trousers, various boots and shoes, so that he looks like a real boss of the Russian mafia, as described in the script. I must admit, he looked very ominous."

“The novel looks very well-groomed,” continues Dinklage himself. - He chooses wardrobe very carefully - each accessory must be combined with others. His minions are not so scrupulous in the choice of clothes, and Roman himself, from Deb's point of view, should have looked very stylish. He is not afraid to get dirty, because he knows that his assistants will clean everything. I myself did not know how I would play this role until I donned one of Roman's costumes. It helped - his hairstyle, gold crowns and everything else suggested what the character should be like."

The role in the movie "Fun Girl" marks Dinklage's return to the screens after a successful role in the HBO series "Game of Thrones". “After finishing work on the series, I wanted to get some rest, to be with my family, to live outside the set,” explains the actor. - I talked with some of my colleagues, and they also decided to take a vacation, because when you act in such a long-running series, you forget about your personal life. Our children grow up, but we don't even notice it. At some point, I got tired of resting, I felt that I was ready to return to work, and just then this script was sent. So my participation in the filming of "Swindler" was, if you like, predetermined from above. The script called me back to the set. In our youth, we do not think about time, we are insatiable, we can work day and night. I like to work, but now the project has to be special, so that for its sake I wake up and crawl out from under a warm blanket at four o'clock in the morning."

Marla and Jennifer Peterson

“At first glance, Jennifer Peterson looks like a very sweet, rich old woman,” says Jay Blakeson. - She lives in her house and enjoys all the benefits of retirement age. Besides, Jennifer is lonely. She cannot but interest Marla, since no conflicts with relatives are foreseen. But the more Marla learns about Jennifer, the more she realizes that the old woman is not as simple as it seems at first."

“She attends group swimming classes, dines with friends, walks around town, tidies up the house, makes tea and reads newspapers, in a word, does the same thing as many other women,” adds Heimler. - However, as the plot unfolds, you suddenly notice a certain dark side in her life. In short, we needed an actress who could show both the light and dark sides of Jennifer's character."

“We needed to find an exceptional actress who could not only withstand the difficult confrontation scenes with Rosamund, but also be convincing in the role of a kind, sweet old woman. It is so convincing that nothing would portend a dramatic change in the character's image, explains Schwartzman. “We immediately thought of Dianne Wiest. This phenomenally talented actress has played many of the most diverse roles in film and theater. She could easily lull the vigilance of the audience in order to reveal the true essence of her heroine at the climax of the film."

"Dianne! Blakeson exclaims. - What can I say? Dianne has won two Academy Awards and has starred in films that are on my list of favorites, so it was very interesting for me to work with her. She has an incredible acting instinct and an enviable, unusual sense of humor. She managed to reincarnate from a sweet old woman, whose harmlessness is easy to use, into a woman, much less defenseless and much more dangerous. We all watched with delight how the heroine Dianne changed as the story unfolds."

“Probably many of the actors who read Jay's script thought, 'Wow, you! There is something interesting to work on here,”says Pike. - However, the material is rather gloomy, as they say, "not for everyone." I am sure that many others, while reading, thought that they would not risk it. The script throws a kind of challenge to any actor, and you think: “Oh, I would like to play this, but can I? Is this person in me? " Probably, in those who agreed, there is some kind of adventurous trait, there is courage and an involuntary desire to break the rules. Dianne Wiest saw this role as an opportunity to unleash her potential in a very unusual way. I have long been a fan of her work and was sincerely glad to work together. We are very lucky that she accepted the role. In her role, she was very realistic, funny and simply inimitable. I must confess that at times it was not easy to keep up with her. In the scenes where Marla had the upper hand, it was not easy to outplay Dianne - she was so convincing and unusual in her opposition to my heroine. It's great when an actor can improvise, giving out something more than what is written in the script. Jennifer does not let Marla escape, the more interesting it was to play. If you think about it, Marla and Jennifer Peterson are not very different from each other. They both play the role of innocent sheep, although in reality they are she-wolves in sheep's clothing."

“It was very easy to play the role of the heroine's son, Dianne Wiest,” says Dinklage. - She has the kindest face and an irresistible smile. During her career, she has played many roles of kind women. Now she, armed with the same smile, plays a much darker and more sinister role, and this is very interesting."

“We don't often hear about what is really happening with the welfare system for the elderly, that old people are often forgotten and taken advantage of their helplessness,” says Gonzalez. - It is interesting that in the film "Swindler" it is shown that not all old people are so harmless and naive. Dianne Wiest, who often appears in the form of cute heroines, this time is sharp-tongued, strong and independent. It is a pleasure to watch such a transformation. I thought I knew how she would play this role, but I was wrong. Dianne sets herself all new creative challenges, does something unexpected, and it inspires me as an actress."

“Before her fateful meeting with Marla, Jennifer seemed quite happy with her retirement life,” says costume designer Deborah Newhall. - She lives in a charming house, painted blue with white edging, with a beautiful veranda and a flower garden. This is how she dresses. But when she is taken from home and placed in a nursing home, this is reflected in her physical condition and in her choice of wardrobe. Independently, she led a colorful life, things are different at the orphanage. There, in the laundry, your clothes can be lost and replaced with things of other guests. There independence is lost, and with it - and individuality. And yet, Jennifer's life has some trump cards with which she can ruin the whole game for Marla."

Sympathy for characters who do disgusting things

“The most interesting thing about this script is that we involuntarily become sympathetic to the characters who do obviously terrible things,” says producer Ben Stillman. - We change our preferences, better understanding certain characters, and in the end, with surprise, we catch ourselves thinking that we were worried about everyone and no one at the same time. In this, the film is truly unique. Jay made an entertaining film that makes viewers ask the burning question: "Do the characters demonstrate a typical or perverse understanding of the American Dream, which attracted the powerful of this world?"

“It was really fun to be in that kind of society,” says Dinklage. - I think the reaction of the audience will remind: “The fifth glass of wine will be superfluous. Although … why not? " All our characters are alien to apathy and are very consistent in their pursuit of goals. Whether it's the desire to get rich or the salvation of their own mother, they give themselves to this task completely and completely. Each of the heroes is unique in its own way, and that's great. There will be no lazy criminals in this movie. Our characters know exactly what they want. In addition, there will be no intrusive moralizing in this picture. As a rule, the villains get what they deserve, but in this film it is also great … ", - he lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, - “that they will go unpunished. You know, viewers are always shocked when a movie or a TV show doesn't go according to the established cliche. For example, at the end of the first season of Game of Thrones, the protagonist dies. The spectators were shocked, could not believe their eyes: “You can't do that! This is against the rules! " Who said? In Jay's film, the criminals manage to get out. In life, this happens all the time. Not all criminals receive the punishment they deserve … (some of them are politicians)”.

About the aftertaste left by the film, Jay Blakeson says: "After watching the movie" The Swindler ", the audience should not only have a feeling of a well-spent time, but also bewildered:" Should I like a picture whose characters do this? " This feeling is akin to the sand grinding on our teeth when you eat oysters - it makes us think about the world we live in."

“Jay allows us to enjoy things that are not good to enjoy,” Pike observes. I liked this idea, I liked the world in which everything is turned upside down, and the very desire to sympathize with people who, in theory, should not arouse sympathy. I think that Marla Grayson does not fit into any frame, and I like that about her. Hopefully after watching the movie, viewers will think, “Damn it, yes! I, too, can go beyond the usual and be the same as her!"

Supporting roles

“I love working with character actors,” admits Jay Blakeson. - Each director has a list of actors with whom he would like to work. I can say that filming this movie made my own list a lot easier. Among the dreams that have come true is working with Chris Messina and such actors as Isaiah Whitlock Jr. and Macon Blair. All of them, without exception, decorate any film with their participation. They played a lot of memorable characters in other films, and I was very pleased to invite them to shine in a few scenes of mine, perhaps in an unusual role for them. I hope viewers will enjoy what they see on the screens as much as I enjoyed working with these actors."

"There is no passing role in Jay's script," says Pike. "Each character is unusual, so we managed to interest extremely talented actors in supporting roles."

“When I first read the script for Funky, I was amazed at how many unique and active characters it has,” says Heimler. "We immediately realized that there would be no problems with casting, and not only because of the number of interesting roles, but also because of the desire of many actors to work with Jay."

“Our obvious success was our participation in the Chris Messina project,” Blakeson is convinced. - I have long been a fan of his work. He recently played a very memorable role on Sharp Objects. He appeared on the set with a clear understanding of his role - in his view, the hero had to have a sarcastic sense of humor. There are only a few scenes with him in the film, but in these few scenes he gave his 100%. Working with Chris was very interesting."

About her character Messina says: “Dean Erickson is very proud of his work. It seems to him that he is under the protection of Roman, under the protection of the underworld and has the same strength and authority as Roman. I think that he occasionally forgets that he is just a lawyer and only works for Roman. He is more impressed by the idea that he and Roman are friends. This character constantly maneuvers between the storylines of Roman and Marla. It acts as a kind of transmission link. Appearing to Marla and trying to threaten her, Erickson believes that this is easy. But he soon realizes that he is opposed by a very cool and intelligent person who will not let any lawyer or anyone else get off the hook."

“Roman hired Dean Erickson to free his mother from Marla’s custody,” Pike adds. - Chris Messina played a very sleek, polished lawyer with a snow-white smile, who is not used to losing. He is ready to use money, threats, connections - in short, anything to achieve the desired goal. With a woman like Marla he never had to deal with. He offers her a ransom $ 250 thousand, and she thinks: "Well, if this is your starting price, then the deal is worth a lot more." Then she finds out that Erickson is somehow connected with the Russian mafia and thinks: “Well, let it be the mafia. It's getting interesting. " I really enjoyed working with Chris. People always talk about some kind of chemistry between actors filming love scenes, but in fact, this chemistry is much more important in the relationship between antagonists and protagonists. Luckily, Chris and I had just the right chemistry, so it was a lot of fun."

"Dean is one of the supporting characters that are woven into the plot," says costume designer Deborah Newhall. "In his case, I was able to experiment a bit with the color palette, so his costumes can surprise the audience."