Release: June 17

Running time: 80 minutes

Rating: M (Coarse Language)

The Australian family drama Lou was developed in collaboration with writer/director Belinda Chayko and producer Tony Ayres. The same team behind the 2009 telemovie Saved.

Set in the cane fields of Queensland, Lou stars Emily Barclay (Suburban Mayhem) as Rhia, a single mother raising three daughters after being abandoned months earlier by the girls’ father. At eleven, Lou (Lily Bell-Tindley – in her first film role), is the eldest of the girls who takes on the guardian role when Rhia is not home, proving a mature attitude beyond her years as she balances a life between being a mother and being a child.

With the debt collector literally knocking at their door, Rhia agrees to take care of her estranged partner’s father, Doyle, played by John Hurt (Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone) for the income it will provide the family. But Doyle suffers from Alzheimer’s, and his deteriorating mind makes him believe that Lou is his former wife Annie, who left him several years before.

Lou gradually forms a relationship with the ailing Doyle. It is these moments in the film that could have become uncomfortable viewing for a hint of a sexual implication is brought to the table, however the film remains on the level. In contrast to Rachel Ward's Beautiful Kate, Chayko has brilliantly and effortlessly created a warm and tender bond between Lou and Doyle that steers clear of the taboo line.

Abandonment is a major theme in this film, as it is experienced by all three major characters. Lou has the steely resolve of an adult. In some instances she becomes un-childlike, and difficult to empathize with. But as you get to know her, you realise that this is how she protects herself. It is not until the end of the film that she smiles, and that she looks unrecognisable. Bell-Tindley has been carefully directed by Chayko to give a still and mature performance while Emily Barclay is reasonable as the young mother struggling to survive and take care of her daughters.

Not surprisingly the stand-out of the film is John Hurt. Familiar with roles where his character has limited dialogue, such as his elegant performance in The Elephant Man. His ability to portray emotion in Lou, without a single word, is a joy to watch. Hurt has obviously rubbed off on Barclay and Bell-Tindley, the latter especially holding her own against him in their shared scenes. The film does lose some ground when he’s not in the scene, but then what film wouldn’t?

The plot is simple, but effective. There are no big dramatic twists, and therefore the ending is uncomplicated, thus making it work. Chayko has kept the same, measured tone throughout, a sign of an attentive director. The tender moments of the film are balanced with humour, especially when Doyle suspects he may have a competitor for Lou, in their twelve-year-old male neighbour.

This movie will mean something to everyone, but even more so if you’ve known someone like Doyle. And sadly, a lot of us have.

VERDICT: Distinction

Kate Gehrig