LOU (2022) is a brand-new Netflix survival thriller featuring elements of crime, action, and (obviously) drama. Although there is also a mystery that you will be watching emerge, the plot is quite straightforward. Additionally, we start in one location, skip a few hours, and then come back to the original location.
You might become a little disoriented if you start the movie while looking at your phone (which you really shouldn't do!). The three crucial lead parts in this Netflix film are played by Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, and Logan Marshall-Green.
I have long been a fan of Allison Janney (The West Wing, The Girl on the Train). From the first time I ever saw her in anything, I have loved her style, so I’m always happy to watch anything with her in the cast. In this Netflix movie, she plays the title character of Lou.
Now, while Allison Janney has played some tough and sassy women in the past, Lou is right up there with Terminator‘s Sarah Connor. She’s trained and ruthless. And I love it!
Sharing top-billing with Allison Janney is one of my newer favorites: Jurnee Smollett. So far, she has done no wrong in anything I’ve watched her in. From being Black Canary in Birds of Prey to having a starring role in the HBO series Lovecraft Country, Jurnee Smollett is just killing it. Hell, she was even good in True Blood though I did not like that storyline.
Lou is no exception to this amazing path for Jurnee Smollett!
What I really like about Jurnee Smollett in Lou, and everything else she’s done is that she always manages to show strength and emotions. Meaning she’s always showing that you can be a strong and capable person, but not make yourself cold. You can love and hurt, but still, keep fighting.
That’s real and important – particularly in a survival story of this kind!
In Lou, she has a young daughter, Vee, who is also portrayed wonderfully by Ridley Asha Bateman. Kids can be hit or misses, but the young Ridley Asha Bateman is clearly a hit!
Admittedly, I do feel very spoiled with the cast of Lou since the core cast consists of three actors I absolutely adore. After Allison Janney and Jurnee Smollett, we’re introduced to Logan Marshall-Green who is somewhat of a chameleon.
He can play the charming good guy or the sadistic bad guy. Sometimes even a little bit of both.
From Prometheus to The Invitation to Leigh Whannell‘s 2018 sci-fi action thriller Upgrade, we see Logan Marshall-Green portray intriguing and fascinating characters. In Lou, he is definitely not a good guy.
However, to keep things real, we do also get some backstory. Not to excuse his behavior but rather to help explain what shaped him into the man he is today.
Anna Foerster (Underworld: Blood Wars, Westworld) is the director of LOU and does an amazing job. From the visual style to the pacing, this is a thriller that really works for me. I was a bit worried that the runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes might be a bit too much. It isn’t. Not even a little bit!
The screenplay is based on a story by Maggie Cohn and was written by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley. This is the first feature film screenplay from Maggie Cohn, who previously wrote on The Staircase, Narcos: México, and American Crime Story. For Jack Stanley, this is a writing debut.
LOU is full of suspense, mystery, and brutal action sequences, and it features a realistic backstory not too different from what some true-crime documentaries have covered. You’ll definitely want to watch this on Netflix!
Lou premieres on Netflix globally on September 23, 2022.
