Anna Foerster is the director of the 2022 American action thriller movie Lou. Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, and Logan Marshall-Green are the movie’s leading actors. On September 23, 2022, Netflix released Lou. In 2021, the film’s principal photography commenced, and it was completed in August of the same year, 2021.
Lou Adell played by Allison Janney: American actress Allison Brooks Janney was born on November 19, 1959. She has had a three-decade career and is renowned for her work on stage and in cinema in a variety of genres. In addition to two Tony Award nominations, Janney has won other honors, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, seven Primetime Emmy Awards, and more.
Janney portrays Lou, as a gruff, independent loner who lives in the woods and is plagued by someone or something. Lou has a purposefully simple existence until one night when everything becomes complicated by an especially spectacular storm. Hannah (Jurnee Smollett), the daughter of her closest neighbor, has been stolen, and she needs Lou’s assistance to locate her.
Lou has no interest in continuing to live as soon as the movie starts. She sends a letter to her neighbor Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) after taking all of her money out of her bank account, sits down, and puts a shotgun under her chin. She is clearly about to kill herself, but before she can do it, a terrified Hannah calls Lou and asks for assistance.
Hannah Dawson (Lou’s Neighbor whose daughter was kidnapped by her abusive ex), portrayed by Jurnee Smollett. On October 1, 1986, Jurnee Diana Smollett, an actress, was born in the US. As a kid actor in sitcoms like Full House (1992–1994) and On Our Own (1994–1955), Smollett started her career. She became more well-known for her part in the highly praised movie Eve’s Bayou, which Kasi Lemmons directed (1997).
Philip, played by Logan Marshall-Green (A crazy man who kidnapped his ex-daughter). Logan Marshall-Green, an American actor and filmmaker, was born on November 1, 1976. He is well-known for his parts in the movies Devil, Prometheus, The Invitation, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Upgrade, and the television shows 24, The O.C., Traveler, Dark Blue, and Quarry.
The plot of the Netflix movie Lou
Lou, a lone resident on an island in Washington who lives with her dog Jax in 1986, travels to the village to get some groceries. She mentions her arthritis to the sheriff, who advises her that a copper bracelet would be beneficial. Hannah and her small daughter Vee are playing hide-and-seek outside their house. Her landlord Lou calls to remind her that the rent is due the next day as she is on her way home.
Chris, Hannah’s male friend, offers to bring supplies since he anticipates a significant storm. He picks up a hitchhiker who is killed in his vehicle on the way home. The hitchhiker turns out the power to Hannah’s house, and while she is outside working to fix it, he kidnaps Vee and makes off on foot with her.
Lou attempts to commit herself, but Hannah stops her and informs her that Vee has gone missing. Before they can go, the hitchhiker’s explosive detonates in Lou’s vehicle, causing it to explode. Eventually, Lou and Hannah followed him and Vee into the stormy night.
A Twist
Hannah informs Lou that the hitchhiker is Philip, Vee’s father, a former Green Beret and war criminal she believes to be deceased. Lou kills Philip’s buddies while she’s on the run, proving she’s not as innocent as she seems. She tells Hannah that she was a former CIA field operative for 26 years. Lou and Hannah follow Philip and Vee to Eagle Bay beach.
While Lou heads to face Philip and rescue Vee, Hannah goes to the radio for assistance. It is revealed after a standoff that Philip is Lou’s son, who found them after she handed him in and fled with them for safety. It is also revealed that Lou left him as a toddler to keep her covert assignment in Iran a secret. Lou is hurt by Philip, who then leaves with Vee to kill everyone at once.
When Hannah calls the sheriff, he is forced to step aside since it is now a federal matter due to a call from the US Marshals Service. Nevertheless, the sheriff travels to Eagle Bay, where he meets Lou and offers her a copper bracelet.
In the meantime, Hannah makes her way to the lighthouse and rescues Vee from Philip. After a fight, Hannah hurts Philip before escaping with Vee. Lou discovers that the lighthouse is loaded with explosives, so she detonates them from a distance to blow it up and alert the coming CIA chopper. Lou and Philip battle on the beach until she gets the upper hand and cuddles him. She apologizes as a CIA agent opens fire on them, and Lou and Philip both go beneath the sea.
Last Scene
Later, Hannah and Vee are seen packing things and getting ready to depart Lou’s home. They are shown on a boat with Jax, who is seen looking at someone on the upper deck, just out of view, after the CIA agents ask a few questions and the sheriff bids them farewell. As the mother observes her granddaughter and daughter-in-law via binoculars, the camera pans to reveal her arm, which has a scar resembling the one Lou had and a copper bracelet.
Lou Evaluation
This movie is worth seeing because of its compelling plot, eye-catching locations, and passionate characters portrayed by Allison Janney and Logan Marshall. The movie keeps one’s interest glued with some sinister developments.
However, a tedious, confusing plot twist complicates and confounds what should have been a straightforward chase movie, making it much baggier and more difficult to engage with. As a foolish attempt to replace excitement with emotion, it pushes the movie toward tepid melodrama and pulls us farther away from the action. Even though Janney sells it, in the end, she is both literally and figuratively damaged. The very fact that Lou exists could be a positive development for older women in action movies, but it’s a mistake everywhere else.
Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley wrote the screenplay, and it is based on a narrative by Maggie Cohn. Maggie Cohn, who has previously written for The Staircase, Narcos: Mexico, and American Crime Story, has written the script for her debut feature picture. This is Jack Stanley’s first published piece.
Plus, points and problems
Janney deserves praise for resisting the pressure to make Lou likable. She is a murderous, suicidal machine. If anything, I wanted the movie to focus even more on Janney’s cynicism and nihilism, so I was impressed that she never lost her hard edges.
She appears to be the only one in the situation aware that this thriller must be lean and mean. Her co-stars, the normally dependable Marshall-Green and Smollett, don’t fare as well since the former cranks the craziness dial up too high, and the latter gets nothing to do beyond playing a frightened mother.
It may be fun to see action movies that challenge the perceptions of stars most recognized for their dramatic roles. For instance, Bob Odenkirk’s performance in “Nobody” was fantastic. And Allison Janney shows that she can carry an action movie in “Lou.” If only she had found a worthy companion. It’s interesting to choose the lovely Janney as an action figure in the film, who threatens to destroy all remaining goodwill like unrelenting lightning.
After the violent confrontation in the cabin, there is a noticeable absence of action for the remainder of the film’s running length. Instead, the middle act drags on because of the exposition concerning Lou’s shadowy history and her relationship with Phillip and Hannah.
This significantly hinders the film’s plot since instead of being the action-packed thrill ride it once seemed to be, it now turns into a twisting thriller with domestic themes. There is one more fight scene during the conclusion, but it is overshadowed by the earlier unexpected (and intrusive) story changes.
Lou Review:
LOU’s director, Anna Foerster (Underworld: Blood Wars, Westworld), performs a fantastic job. This thriller, in terms of both pace and visual flair, really appeals to the fans. She performs with such a lack of hurry, though fans were surprised by her Alex Honnold-like composure under pressure.
You should also consider that the twist raises the stakes greater than you initially believed. Lou is aware of it, but the audience isn’t. Simply put, it’s inconsistent with what’s happening around her. Subplots like Philip’s past and Lou’s secret, which may have added more mystery and pleasure to the action experience, serve to draw attention to this flaw.
Lou has an attitude and independence that are popular right now. For instance, Philip dances whenever he has the chance to the powerful tunes of Toto. He even opted to smash a butterfly with his bare hands in front of his kid.
Lou is a lazy and generic action thriller that sleepwalks through its nearly 110 minutes, even though fans loved watching Janney’s Lou kick ass and make Daniel Bernhardt cry. The film LOU is packed with suspense, intrigue, and terrible action scenes. It also has a genuine backdrop similar to what has been presented in certain true-crime films. You should see this on Netflix without a doubt and build your very own perception.
