Lou

 Ephraim Belnap

Lou is a lean, mean, airport novel of a movie; a Jack Reacher-like ex-military thriller held together by brilliant performances and a killer plot. 

The premise is simple - the secluded, elderly, ex-military survivalist Lou is enlisted when her neighbor's daughter is kidnapped. Together, the mother and retiree make their way through their stormbound island after the kidnappers. But the further they travel, the more murky the journey becomes. 

With deftly directed action and a captivating performance from Oscar winner and lead Alison Janney, the film is the rarest of things - a fully realized action thriller with all the passion and skill of the very best American detective novels. Like surprise hits Jack Reacher or No Country For Old Men, it's a bleak tale of vengeance and crime in rural America. But despite lacking the star power of Tom Cruise or Josh Brolin, it manages to be just as good in execution.

Although a stressful watch for any parent of young children, Lou is an edge-of-your-seat ride, and an outstanding example of its genre.