7 Movies Like Lou You Must See

Directed by Anna Foerster, Netflix’s ‘Lou‘ is an action thriller film set in the 1980s. It follows Lou, a woman living an isolated life on Orcas island. However, when her neighbor’s daughter goes missing during the storm, Lou uses her military skills to track down the missing girl. In the process, viewers learn about Lou’s dark past and her connection to the kidnapper. If you enjoyed the film’s combination of action sequences and suspense, you must be looking for more similar options. In that case, we have handpicked some similar titles. You can watch most of these movies like ‘Lou’ on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu!

7. Anna (2019)

‘Anna’ (stylized as ‘ANИA’) is an action thriller movie directed by Luc Besson and starring Sasha Luss, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy, Helen Mirren, and Alexander Petrov. It tells the story of Anna Poliatova, a Russian spy working for the KGB looking for a way out of the espionage world. When the CIA offers her a chance to become a double agent, Anna readily agrees to lead her into grave danger. The narrative of ‘Anna’ is drastically different from ‘Lou,’ but both films revolve around female spies with dark secrets. Moreover, the movie highlights the risks and sacrifices that can affect a spy’s life in the long run.

6. Peppermint (2018)

Directed by Pierre Morel, ‘Peppermint‘ is a vigilante thriller film starring Jennifer Garner as Riley North, a mother who undergoes rigorous training after the death of her family at the hands of a drug cartel. Equipped with her new skills and strength, Riley embarks on a quest to bring those responsible for her family’s death to justice. Like ‘Lou,’ the movie is filled with suspense and features some enthralling action moments that will leave viewers pinned to their seats. While Riley and Lou share similar personalities, they have a different relationships with their family, making ‘Peppermint’ worth your time.

5. Miss Bala (2019)

‘Miss Bala‘ (also known as ‘Miss Bullet’) is an action thriller film directed by Catherine Hardwicke. It is based on the 2011 Mexican film of the same name. The story follows Gloria Fuentes, a makeup artist from Los Angeles who finds herself caught up in a deadly cross-border conflict. As a result, Gloria is forced to rely on her own wit and strength to survive. The film features elements of survival and abduction, making it similar to ‘Lou.’ However, viewers who like all-around action entertainers and dislike the emotional storytelling in ‘Lou’ will appreciate ‘Miss Bala’ and its break-neck pacing.

4. The Call (2013)

Director Brad Anderson’s ‘The Call‘ is a psychological crime thriller film starring Halle Berry as Jordan Turner, a 9-1-1 operator suffering from a past error that led to the death of a teenage girl. However, when she receives a similar phone call from an abducted teen girl, Turner must overcome her past and handle the situation with grit and courage. The film puts a fresh spin on the abduction subgenre of thrillers and gives the kidnapper a very intriguing motive. Moreover, the theme of redemption is also very evident. Hence, ‘The Call’ resembles ‘Lou’ in certain aspects but creates a fresh experience for the viewers.

3. Vikram (2022)

‘Vikram’ is a Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. It features Kamal Haasan, a mysterious and lonely old man who finds himself at the center of a series of deadly murders. Unbeknownst to anyone, the man is Agent Vikram, a secret agent from the 1987 Pilot Black squad, seeking revenge for his son’s death while trying to protect his grandson. The slow revelation of the protagonist’s past as a secret agent and his connection to his grandchild are common threads between ‘Vikram’ and ‘Lou.’ Nonetheless, ‘Vikram’ packs explosion stylized action and is set on a grander stage giving viewers plenty of entertaining moments.

2. Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

Directed by Adrian Grünberg ‘Rambo: Last Blood‘ is an action film that is the fifth installment in the ‘Rambo’ franchise, starring Sylvester Stallone. The film follows a retired John Rambo who lives a quiet and isolated life. However, when his friend’s daughter, Gabriela, goes missing in Mexico, Rambo leaps back into action to find her before it’s too late. The film’s basic premise is reminiscent of ‘Lou’ as both movies feature aging protagonists forced to conduct a search and rescue mission for a loved one. Likewise, both films carefully tread the line between action and emotion to deliver a powerful final product.

1. Taken (2008)

‘Taken‘ (also titled ’96 Hours’ and ‘The Hostage’) is a French English-language film directed by Pierre Morel. The action-thriller stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a father who learns of his teenage daughter’s abduction during a vacation in France. As a result, Mills uses every resource at his disposal to rescue his daughter and her friend from a human trafficking ring. The fast-paced and enthralling narrative is one of the best abduction-themed films and is credited with reinvigorating the subgenre. Moreover, MIlls’ ex-CIA background and his motives make his character arc similar to Lou’s. Therefore, the movie takes the top spot on this list!