Have you ever felt tense and afraid that you or someone you love might get kidnapped? Well, ‘Lou’ will take you through those emotions as you worry more and more about a little girl who’s been taken. On a small, secluded island, a lonely old woman accompanies a mother on a journey to track and hunt down an evil man who’s taken her daughter. Their journey is long and treacherous, and they slowly become injured as they navigate the forest. Hannah Dawson (Jurnee Smollett) recruits help from her neighbor, Lou Adell (Allison Janney) who uses her past experience to hunt down the kidnapper, Phillip Dawson (Logan Marshall-Green). Hannah and Lou both have secrets of their own that are unraveled over the course of the movie.
Lou lives alone in a house with her dog, Jax. At the beginning of the film, her memories explain a little about who she was as a person before she lived in the house. Hannah’s daughter, Vee (Ridley Asha Bateman), willingly goes along with Phillip because he is her father. She trusts her father because Hannah tells stories about him on his adventure for treasure. But what Hannah doesn’t allow Vee to know is that Phillip is an abusive man with a dark past.
Hannah and Vee had to escape from Phillip because he is a war criminal who enjoys being a sadist. Hannah learned self-defense and moved away to protect herself and Vee from anyone who threatened their safety. They moved into the house next to Lou which they rent from her. It is their safe house until Phillip finds them and kidnaps Vee from Hannah during the storm. Hannah and Lou set off to find her with the help of Jax. They have secrets up their sleeves as they can defend themselves and fight whoever stands in their way. Lou uses the skills she learned from her past as a field agent to protect herself and attack people who try to hurt Hannah or Vee. Lou and Hannah also use their skills to overcome countless obstacles and find clues on where to find Vee. As the women get closer and closer to Vee, the truth starts to surface. What is this truth? I cannot say. You have to find out for yourself.
“Lou” is an action drama film that focuses on the trek of rescuing Vee. I mostly recommend it because Allison Janney plays Lou, and she is a fantastic actress. Her role as a tough old lady was played so well that I could not keep my eyes off her. Clues were given about her and Hannah throughout the film, but I never would have guessed half of the information revealed in “Lou.” The hints are given through the interactions between characters and their memories were shown. The ending was shocking, but at the same time, it did not fully surprise me. To find out why, you’ll have to watch the film yourself. “Lou” is a film you should watch if you are interested in slow-paced action or just love Allison Janney. You’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat hoping Vee survives the kidnapping!
By Ayla Hooper