LOU

Australia, 2010, 85 minutes, Colour.
John Hurt, Lilly Bell Tindley, Emily Barclay, Daniella Faranacci.
Directed by Belinda Cheyko.

Lou is a small film but very effective. It is set in northern New South Wales, around Mount Warning, around Murwillumbah. It captures the isolated towns, the canefields, excursions to the beach.

At the centre of the film is a single mother with three daughters. The mother is played by Emily Barclay, aged 27, frustrated, trying to deal with her children and her work, as well as her loneliness and her sexual needs. In the title role is Lily Bell Tindley as Lou, a strong screen presence, convincing as a knowing 11-year-old. It is her only screen appearance.

Crisis comes when the family is asked to take in, temporarily, the girls’ grandfather, father of the missing husband. He is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Once again, there is a completely convincing performance by John Hurt as the grandfather, remembering his time at sea, reliving his falling in love with his wife, mistaking Lou for his wife, proposing to her, putting her in an emotional dilemma, her accepting, getting to like the man that she initially did not want in the house and is prepared to run away with him.

The film is very strong in its attention to local detail and the characters within this way of life.

1. The title, the focus on Lou? Her family? Her attitudes? The impact of her grandfather’s arrival?

2. Northern New South Wales, the town, the countryside, the sugarcane? The musical score?

3. Rhia, three children, her age, care for them, the meals, hard work, going out, phone calls and welfare checking on the children? Her boyfriend, the money, buying gifts, the dresses for the girls?

4. The girls, at play, the relation between them?

5. The welfare officers, the repossession men, the girls hiding? The documents under the door?

6. Mrs Marchetti, the visit and discussions with Rhia, information about Doyle, his arrival, taking Lou’s room, the meals, his reactions, the children spying
on him?

7. Doyle, his age, dementia, work as a sailor, in the Pacific, imagining scenes from the past, seeing his wife, her departure? Doyle inside, searching for his wife, singing, standing and looking at the crops?

8. Lou, reaction to her mother and her mother’s work? In the backyard, playing, dance, searching Doyle’s room, the photos, the ring, the confrontation, the fight? Locking him in, letting him out, searching for him, through the crops?

9. Doyle, the gentle side, his wife, mistaking, the memory song, listening to the records?

10. The children and the new dresses, the boyfriend, coming to dinner, Doyle spitting out the meal?

11. The boy on the bike, the papers, at the party, the new speed on his bike, Doyle attacking him?

12. Doyle, giving the flower to Lou, thinking she was his wife, Lou accepting it?

13. The party, the new dress, the food, Rhia’s boyfriend, dancing, the paperboy and putting alcohol into the drink?

14. The background, the cane, the crops, the burning off?

15. Lou putting on make-up, the sisters? Doyle saying Rhia was not the marrying kind? The decision to sack Rhia? Rhia and her slapping her daughter?

16. The promise of the day at the beach, Doyle and the girls going to the beach, enjoyment, the food, talk about the wind in the Pacific, the caress? Getting the bus? Mrs Marchetti’s visit?

17. Rhia, sick of everything, 27, the boyfriend leaving?

18. Lou becoming friendlier, the photo, her father, his not coming back? Lou as Annie, Doyle’s proposal, accepting the ring?

19. The repossession, taking the television? No credit?

20. Locking Rhia in the room? Doyle gardening, Lou giving the ring back, the young boy, Doyle jealous?

21. Lou, anger at her mother, saying she hated her, packing, running away with Doyle, going into town, the ATM, his remembering his number, at the bus stop? Returning?

22. The boy, the beach, the family, looking at the ship at sea, remembering Doyle and his song, the Maori Farewell?