Loulou (1980)

In the vibrant heartbeat of Paris, young accountant Nelly finds herself swept away by a chance encounter with Loulou, a spellbinding ex-convict, amidst the pulsating frenzy of a crowded discotheque. Teetering on the brink of discontentment with her monotonous life and inert husband André, Nelly makes an audacious leap, abandoning the sterile comforts of her bourgeois existence for the intoxicating allure of uncertainty with Loulou. This audacious move sees Nelly forsake her well-established friends and her stable, albeit uninspired, relationship with André, drawn irresistibly to Loulou's intoxicating indolence and the exciting unpredictability he brings. His magnetic charm and the passionate energy he pours into their relationship challenge Nelly's previous notions of satisfaction, as she finds herself questioning whether prosperity can truly be a substitute for the thrilling promise of social and sexual revolution. However, as Nelly delves deeper into her relationship with the enigmatic Loulou, André's reaction to his wife's abrupt departure remains uncertain. Will he passively accept his wife's drastic life change, or will he disrupt the unconventional love story taking shape? The question that lingers is whether this precarious love triangle can sustain itself amidst the whirlwind of emotions and societal expectations, or if it is destined to crumble under the weight of its own complexity. Maurice Pialat’s ‘Loulou’ is a compelling exploration of contemporary France, a daring mockery of prosperity as a consolation for the absence of true passion and revolution.

Loulou is a drama movie featuring Isabelle Huppert and directed by Maurice Pialat.

Loulou is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy and it's also available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel and MUBI.

It is also possible to buy Loulou on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Kino Now and YouTube.