Review – LOU 2010
June 23rd 2010 05:51
RELEASE DATE : 17th June 2010
RUNNING TIME: 87 mins
CAST:
John Hurt – Doyle
Lily Bell-Tindley – Lou
Emily Barclay – Rhia
Charlie-Rose MacLennan – Leanne
Eloise MacLennan – Lani
Daniela Farinacci - Mrs Marchetti
Jay Ryan – Cosmo
Jonathan Segat – Blake
Damien Garvey – Colin
Logan Reilly - Jock
DIRECTOR: Belinda Chayko
WRITING CREDITS: Belinda Chayko
DISTRIBUTOR: KOJO Films (Australasia)
SYNOPSIS: Eleven year old Lou’s life is turned upside down after her father walks out on his wife and three children. Lou the eldest blames her mother for the father leaving and has built a wall around her refusing to let anyone get through lest she be hurt once again
Enter Doyle, the girls paternal grandfather his mind slowly being diminished by the ravages of old age. In his confused state, Doyle mistakes Lou for his deceased wife, showering her with attention in an attempt to win her affections while Rhia struggles to bring up three children on her own with the added burden of looking after the ailing Doyle.
As the days pass by, Lou begins to develop genuine if not confused feelings for her grandfather, but ultimately learns what it is like to be loved, even in the most unexpected of circumstances.
REVIEW: LOU could be set almost anywhere in the western world. Growing up in a country town, there is little to do with your life besides get a job with one of the local businesses, find a partner, settle down and push out a handful of kids for the next generation to repeat the process. It’s a one way street with little or no chance of ever choosing a different path.
These themes alone could make for a great film, but when you overload a story with one too many social issues something will end being underdeveloped. While the script had a lot of potential, it feels at times that something is out of place. Why is the old man who has travelled the world on board a merchant ship settling in this tiny little town? Why was his son living there and why did the children not know about their grandfather? The Maori themes within the film also seem out of place. Yes Doyle did sail in the South Pacific, but besides that small snippet of information, the whole idea just has an ill fit.
The choice of John Hurt for the grandfather is a little disconcerting considering the talent available in Australia. Plenty of actors within the 50 range would have been available to portray the retired sailor who’s mind is slowly deteriorating while still maintaining moments of lucidity. John Hurt playing a grandfather with dementia is not sweet and moving. It’s at times a litttle creepy.
At times you feel the script cutting a little too close to dirty old man/young girl. Hurt seems to portray the old man a little 'unpleasant' at times. The scenes between Doyle and Lou could have been moving and delightful, but unfortunately seem to leave one ill at ease.
Emily Barclay’s portrayal of a young mother abandoned is as we have come to expect a quality performance. At 26 she is already fast approaching that age where regrets are coming thick and fast and Rhia is beginning to feel desperate to try and find some of that lost spirit of her youth. While she showers her children with love and affection she also erroneously blames Lou for her lost youth in a moment of weakness and self pity. In telling Lou off for wearing too much makeup, you see her blaming herself for previously making the same mistake of trying to grow up too quickly.
Barclay splendid displays the immature nature of this young mother as Rhia is torn between the maternal love for her children and that youthful desire to enjoy life while the chance is still there.
The children are all impressive especially Lily Bell-Tindley as Lou in her first on screen role. Lily seems undaunted by working with one of the most respected actors of his generation and holds her own beautifully, even when the scenes do become a little uncomfortable to watch.
The themes within the film are definitely relevant to the society we live in today, but placing the film in a rural setting just for the vista without suitably developing the plot and characters to fit leaves the audience wanting. Combining circumstance to try to force a script can detract from a good story and it seems that writer/director Belinda Chayko have overwhelmed the final cut with one too many themes to follow.
LOU while shot against some beautiful backgrounds of rural Australia is at times sketchy and uncomfortable. While Hurt is at times his usual wonderful self on screen, he at times lends an air of dirty and it is Barclay and Bell-Tindley who manage to keep the film from losing too much and descending into uncomfortable depths.
At under an hour and a half, the film could have used a little more work on the character development. The supports seem two dimensional and to easily lost.
Watch Trailer
www.louthemovie.com
SJC
RANKING: 6/10
RUNNING TIME: 87 mins
CAST:
John Hurt – Doyle
Lily Bell-Tindley – Lou
Emily Barclay – Rhia
Charlie-Rose MacLennan – Leanne
Eloise MacLennan – Lani
Daniela Farinacci - Mrs Marchetti
Jay Ryan – Cosmo
Jonathan Segat – Blake
Damien Garvey – Colin
Logan Reilly - Jock
DIRECTOR: Belinda Chayko
WRITING CREDITS: Belinda Chayko
DISTRIBUTOR: KOJO Films (Australasia)
Enter Doyle, the girls paternal grandfather his mind slowly being diminished by the ravages of old age. In his confused state, Doyle mistakes Lou for his deceased wife, showering her with attention in an attempt to win her affections while Rhia struggles to bring up three children on her own with the added burden of looking after the ailing Doyle.
As the days pass by, Lou begins to develop genuine if not confused feelings for her grandfather, but ultimately learns what it is like to be loved, even in the most unexpected of circumstances.
Lily Bell-Tindley - LOU
These themes alone could make for a great film, but when you overload a story with one too many social issues something will end being underdeveloped. While the script had a lot of potential, it feels at times that something is out of place. Why is the old man who has travelled the world on board a merchant ship settling in this tiny little town? Why was his son living there and why did the children not know about their grandfather? The Maori themes within the film also seem out of place. Yes Doyle did sail in the South Pacific, but besides that small snippet of information, the whole idea just has an ill fit.
The choice of John Hurt for the grandfather is a little disconcerting considering the talent available in Australia. Plenty of actors within the 50 range would have been available to portray the retired sailor who’s mind is slowly deteriorating while still maintaining moments of lucidity. John Hurt playing a grandfather with dementia is not sweet and moving. It’s at times a litttle creepy.
At times you feel the script cutting a little too close to dirty old man/young girl. Hurt seems to portray the old man a little 'unpleasant' at times. The scenes between Doyle and Lou could have been moving and delightful, but unfortunately seem to leave one ill at ease.
Emily Barclay’s portrayal of a young mother abandoned is as we have come to expect a quality performance. At 26 she is already fast approaching that age where regrets are coming thick and fast and Rhia is beginning to feel desperate to try and find some of that lost spirit of her youth. While she showers her children with love and affection she also erroneously blames Lou for her lost youth in a moment of weakness and self pity. In telling Lou off for wearing too much makeup, you see her blaming herself for previously making the same mistake of trying to grow up too quickly.
Barclay splendid displays the immature nature of this young mother as Rhia is torn between the maternal love for her children and that youthful desire to enjoy life while the chance is still there.
The children are all impressive especially Lily Bell-Tindley as Lou in her first on screen role. Lily seems undaunted by working with one of the most respected actors of his generation and holds her own beautifully, even when the scenes do become a little uncomfortable to watch.
The themes within the film are definitely relevant to the society we live in today, but placing the film in a rural setting just for the vista without suitably developing the plot and characters to fit leaves the audience wanting. Combining circumstance to try to force a script can detract from a good story and it seems that writer/director Belinda Chayko have overwhelmed the final cut with one too many themes to follow.
LOU while shot against some beautiful backgrounds of rural Australia is at times sketchy and uncomfortable. While Hurt is at times his usual wonderful self on screen, he at times lends an air of dirty and it is Barclay and Bell-Tindley who manage to keep the film from losing too much and descending into uncomfortable depths.
At under an hour and a half, the film could have used a little more work on the character development. The supports seem two dimensional and to easily lost.
Watch Trailer
www.louthemovie.com
SJC
RANKING: 6/10
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