THE STORY – Neglect, abuse, and devastating fraud are all too frequent fates in store for so many as they pass through the final years of their lives. A callous bureaucracy offers little comfort to the elderly, and all too many opportunities to those who would take advantage of them. Harsh-tongued septuagenarian Ann Hunter is nobody’s fool, but she and her ill husband Chip are nonetheless easy marks for a treacherous legal guardian and his accomplices, plotting to swindle the pair. Soon enough, Ann finds herself with no husband, no money, and no home other than the miserable facility she’s been locked up in. But as her tormentors are about to find out, someone who’s had everything taken away from her is someone with nothing left to lose—and a dark secret of her own.
THE CAST – Romane Denis, Dale Dickey, Jonathan Koensgen, Roc Lafortune & Bruce Ramsay
THE TEAM – Karl R. Hearne (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 89 Minutes
It’s been a year for films discussing the exploitation of vulnerable seniors. First, in “The Beekeeper,” after his friend (played by Phylicia Rashad) falls for a phishing scam that bankrupts her, Jason Statham’s Adam Clay seeks revenge against the group of scammers. Then, there’s “Thelma,” a film where the titular character (played by June Squibb) proves that despite her age, she doesn’t need a Jason Statham to take down thieves – she can do it herself. This trend continues with Karl R. Hearne’s “The G,” which had its North American premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival. This time, however, we move away from phishing scams to another crooked business taking advantage of the elderly – but this one is legal.
“The G” follows the foul-mouthed alcoholic, Ann (Dale Dickey). Nicknamed “The G” by her step-grandaughter, Emma (Romane Denis), Ann describes herself as an OK wife, a lousy nurse, and a terrible parent. She’s a flawed, morally grey character who is hardened by a murky past. Described as ruthless and a firecracker by others, she makes a joke that she could fuck up someone’s family – and you believe her. It’s clear that she doesn’t like people, and the feeling is mutual for many, but she shares a special relationship with Emma who helps her out as much as she can because, even though she’s tough as nails, she’s not as young as she used to be. And with an ailing husband at home, it’s becoming harder and harder for Ann to cope.
One night, men come breaking into Ann’s home. What at first seems like a robbery is essentially a court-ordered kidnapping. At one point in the film, a character says that businessmen, politicians, and gangsters sometimes are hard to tell apart. This isn’t more true here as the men who bust into Ann’s home look closer to thugs than anyone working for the state. Guardianship is one of the many systems in place that abuse the elderly. As the film explains, a guardian is out to look for easy marks: elderly who are isolated but who they suspect also have money. They get doctors to write that the elderly person(s) can’t take care of themselves, and as a result, a judge rules that they need a guardian, even if they have children who could help care for them. Many guardians even move the elderly person(s) into a care facility.
This is what happens to Ann and her husband, Chip (Greg Ellwand). The care facility is a very dark environment that matches the very dark reality that many seniors face. It becomes clear quickly that there’s something sinister about this place and the people who run it, not only because they were forced here. Their door is kept locked like they’re keeping the couple in a prison cell. There are rumors that residents will disappear from this place; once they have no more money, they will no longer be of any use. Ann’s guardian, Rivera (Bruce Ramsay), seems to think that this appointment would have a bigger payout, and he accuses her of hiding money – and it seems he and his lackey, Ralph (Jonathan Koensgen), will stop at nothing to get what they want. When Chip passes, Ann finds herself with no husband, money, or home, but as her tormentors will come to find out, they’re messed with the wrong G.
In 2020’s “I Care A Lot,” a con woman (played by Rosamund Pike) makes a living as a court-appointed guardian who does the same thing as the con men in this film do: bleed dry the funds of seniors and drink up their new wealth. However, unlike J Blakeson’s film, “The G” doesn’t swing for black comedy or focus on who is performing the con. It’s about the victim, and it takes a more dramatic tone to emphasize how terrifying a situation like this really is. But while Ann isn’t the mother of a mafia boss-like Dianne Wiest’s character in “I Care A Lot,” she still manages to fight back against the system in ways that surprise those trying to take advantage of her. It’s a distressing and heartbreaking film, and while it’s first and foremost a revenge-thriller, you can’t help but feel some horror elements sneak in here and there. There are times when Ann walks around the care facility with a knife in hand. It’s hard to know what’s going to pop out in the darkened hallways. There’s a level of discomfort at watching someone never feel safe in their environment.
It’s rare to see a woman of a certain age leading her own film unless it’s an ensemble or historical piece, but it’s even more rare to see Dale Dickey in the driver’s seat. “The G” is only her second leading role after 2022’s “A Love Song,” and her performance here makes you wonder how that’s even possible. Actually, every one of her performances, from “Winter’s Bone” to “Hell or High Water” to TV shows like “True Blood,” make you wonder how she’s not a bigger name. The exemplary character actor is fantastic here as a woman with no-fucks to give, but whose tough exterior is revealed to be cracked through the emotion she wears in her expressions. For an actor who offers so much depth to every character she plays, she gets a larger, meaty role that is just as compelling as her screen presence. It’s not often that we see older female characters given so many layers. While this slow-burning thriller keeps its audience engaged thanks to its twisted subject matter, its strength as a character piece and Dickey’s performance keeps us anticipating the inevitable violent catharsis.
