Lou

Movie Name: Lou
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Anna Foerster
Starring: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman, Matt Craven, Greyston Holt, Daniel Bernhardt, Marci T. House, Toby Levins, Andres Collantes, RJ Fetherstonhaugh
Genre: Action, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Director Anna Foerster who made her feature directorial debut with "Underworld: Blood Wars", has since then gone on to direct various prestige TV shows, including "Westworld" and Netflix's "Jessica Jones". "Lou", which takes place in 1986, follows the story of Lou, a solitary woman living on Orcas Island in Washington. She has her dog Jax has her companion, but is also the landlady for a woman named Hannah, who lives in one of her homes with her young daughter Vee. When Vee is kidnapped, Hannah reaches out to Lou, just as she's about to commit suicide, wanting her help in locating her daughter. Hannah explains that the kidnapper is actually Vee's father Philip, a former Green Beret and war criminal she thought was dead. As the two women set on their way to track Philip and Vee, they have to portend with some challenges. For starters Lou has to deal with some of Philip's friends, whom she handles rather swiftly, implying that she's also more than she has led people to believe. She explains to Hannah she's in reality an ex-CIA agent. When Lou eventually catches up and confronts Philip, it's revealed she's in reality his mother, and that Philip has devised an elaborate plan to kill them all. It's up to Lou and Hannah to attempt all they can to derail his plans.

"Lou" had enormous potential from the get go. The somewhat isolated locale where the narrative takes place, partnered with the inclement weather, married with a character who feels she's at the end of her rope, could have made for a truly fascinating story of redemption tied with survival. And while some interesting traces of that does remain in the film, it sadly ends up lacking quite a bit in terms of grit, character development, or even originality. Allison Janney's take on Lou, as someone seasoned and as someone burdened by her past choices is inspired, since she is able to convey these multiple layers to a character who is not necessarily heart warming or even redeemable. She has done what needs to be done throughout her life, even if at times that has been at the cost of her own family. However and as is the case with this particular type of "mysterious loner narratives", the screenplay fails to give a bit more extra dimension to what has driven her to her current mindset. Whereas Ted Kotcheff's "First Blood" for instance introduced John Rambo as a solitary drifter who gets pushed too hard and then rebels against those who want to demonize him, in this case Lou is somewhat isolated of her own choice, and though not as lethal as Rambo, she is indeed resourceful, but is also trapped by the guilt associated with her own actions. The film doesn't really know if it wants to be an unbridled action survivalist narrative, or this narrative of a woman who wants to atone for her past actions. In the end, it limits what Allison Janney and even Jurnee Smollett can do with their characters, aside from some clichés, the same going for the villainous Logan Marshall-Green, whose motivations and ultimate plan are simply slight an nonsensical. Sadly this film doesn't entirely work, though Allison Janney is a compelling presence, with good support from Jurnee Smollet, while Logan Marshall-Green's talent is completely wasted in a rather thankless role (and he was so good in Leigh Whannell's "Upgrade"). The production team is solid, including the dark tinted cinematography from Michael McDonough, and the production design from Brent Thomas. Another Netflix release that falls under the chapter of watchable and forgettable.