The Cambria Film Festival, running February 5-9, has given SLO Review the opportunity to preview many of the more than 80 full-length and short films that make up its 2025 program schedule. All-access passes, live screening only passes, and passes to view films virtually after the festival are available now.
A Remarkable Film
Jack & Lou: A Gangster Love Story charmed me with its unlikely yet surprisingly moving love story set amidst tensions between Irish and Italian racketeers in Chicago of the Prohibition era.
Alternating between a modern-day interview with Lou in the ’70s and memories of her life with former husband Jack—brought to life in realistic sets and street scenes—the movie provides a seamless continuity between the two, allowing viewers to focus on the story itself.
Such a challenge is made more remarkable by the fact that the 104-minute movie originated in a USC class with 11 student directors for its 11 segments, visually tied together through the work of Devon Johns, a professional director of photography.
While Natalie Shinnick plays the young Lou, Linda Hamilton of Terminator fame plays the older version of Lou. The cast also includes Sebastiano Pigazzi as Jack and Sam Abraham as Al Capone.
Seen through Lou’s memories, their story unfolds from her first meeting with Jack, played out in the freewheeling world of a popular speakeasy. The air sizzled between them in a first glance, clever repartee, and a sensual dance, culminating between the sheets. A married man, we learn that Jack loves his daughter but has little regard for his wife. He is quickly smitten by Lou. Their love grows throughout the film, including—after Jack’s divorce—a marriage to protect Lou from having to testify against Jack.
History buffs will enjoy insights into events that shaped Jack as a young man, his entry into Al Capone’s world to become his main hitman, and the lead up to the Valentine’s Day Massacre. There is violence, but it is not so prevalent that we can’t turn our heads briefly within those scenes to avoid it if needed.
Even so, the movie is a cautionary tale about experiencing consequences for the choices we make. I evaluate a movie in part by how easy it is to enter the story and get swept up in it. This one had me enthralled from the start with its fresh approach to a tough time in our history, and surprised me with a twist at the end.
The filmmakers deserving kudos for this remarkable movie include writers R. S. T. Davis, Becca Han, Craig Lief, Mason Orfalea, Sophia Ungaro, Joshua Powell, Yeon Jin Lee, and John Watson. Its directors are Nancy Boyd, Sabatino Ciatti Jr., Aslan Dalgic, Jocelyn Koo, David Willner, Robin Wang, Lilith Mo, Grace Hyejin Park, Lorenzo Mendoza, Alexis Patton, and Ya-Ting “Itchy” Yang.
Screenings of Jack & Lou: A Gangster Love Story (run time 104 minutes), sponsored by Central Coast Film Society and Luigi’s Pizza, are at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 6 and at 4 p.m. Friday, February 7.