How does Lou end? The Netflix thriller explained
Netflix's Lou is the latest action thriller to grab our attention, and this one has some *major* plot twists.
Landing on the streaming platform just over a week ago, the film has already jumped right up to the No.2 spot in Netflix's Top 10. Starring Allison Janney in the titular role, the story focuses on a young girl, Vee, who is kidnapped. Her mother Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) joins forces with mysterious neighbour Lou (Janney) to track Vee down, with Lou's dangerous past exposed in the process.
As you'd expect, all is not as it seems - and the film's plot twist and Lou's past can seem quite confusing. Here's a run-through of the ending to Lou, explained. *Spoilers ahead*.
The ending of Netflix's Lou explained
Throughout the film, we see hints towards Lou's past working for the CIA in Iran in the 1950s (with the film now set in the 80s). However, that's not where Lou's mystery ends. During a tense scene, Lou eventually reveals her real identity to Hannah: she's the mother of Hannah’s abusive ex-husband Philip (Logan Marshall-Green), who has now kidnapped Vee. After Hannah and Vee fled Philip, Lou engineered it so that they would move to Orcas Island, with Lou living next door as their landlord in order to protect them (though Hannah was unaware).
Next, we find out more about Lou and Philip's past. Philip was born in Iran while Lou was working undercover for the CIA. She arranged for him to be taken away at a young age for his own safety, though Philip still resents her.
It turns out both Lou and Philip are now wanted by the CIA: Philip for torturing hostages in El Salvador, and Lou for keep documents proving the CIA’s involvement in the 1953 coup against Iran's elected Prime Minister.
After Philip kidnaps Vee, he leads Hannah and Lou to a lighthouse on the beach. Vee, Hannah and Lou manage to escape. However following reports of the kidnapping, the CIA are now in pursuit of Philip and Lou.
The wanted mother and son have a final showdown on the beach where Philip is seen stabbing Lou before the pair come together for a tight final hug, with Lou apologising to Philip. A CIA helicopter then appears to shoot them both.
The film's final scene shows Hannah and Vee on a ferry, leaving Orcas Island for Seattle. The last shot then cuts to a woman watching them with binoculars from the top deck, wearing the same copper bracelet that Lou was given by the Sheriff. The woman appears to have brown hair (not grey like Lou did previously). However, the copper bracelet and binoculars appear to suggest that Lou is still alive and is still watching over Hannah and Vee.
Did Lou survive the shooting (one shot does seem to show her wearing a bulletproof vest)? Or did Philip's body protect her from the bullets? Nothing is confirmed, but the film certainly seems to suggest that Lou could be alive. Still, Hannah and Vee are (presumably) safe going forward, which is at least some sort of a happy ending after all.
Lou is streaming on Netflix now.
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