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Towelhead (R, 2008)

common sense media says

Racism and abuse sabotage teen's sexual awakening.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this disturbing movie is highly controversial by intent. The film's trailer sells it as a contemporary satire about an ethnically mixed culture, but the only humor comes from viewers' shock at seeing characters portrayed as ridiculously obtuse, cruel, and unaware. There are many scenes of intense psychological and sexual abuse. The victim is a 13-year-old girl who's dealing with her own budding sexual urges; throughout the film, she's at the mercy of predatory adults, dysfunctional parents, and race-baiting teens and kids. Scenes of masturbation, statutory rape, intercourse, and bare-breasted fantasies alternate with scenes of racial name-calling, dishonesty, jealousy, and heartlessness. In other words? Not for kids.

Positive messages: Racism (both subtle and overt) is seen from a variety of angles: toward Middle-Eastern people, toward African Americans. People who are themselves victims of bigotry reveal themselves to be bigoted. A Lebanese girl is called "towelhead," "camel jockey," "sand n----r." She learns to fight back and not allow such behavior. Adults continually act in inappropriate ways, exhibiting ignorance, self-involvement, cruelty, inept parenting, dishonesty, and sexual perversion.
Violence: A father loses his temper on two occasions -- he grabs, hits, spits, and uses his fists on a girl. A dead kitten on road, then seen in plastic bag and placed in freezer. Sexual assault against a teen girl.
Sex: Frequent sexual scenes that include bare-breasted women (in a magazine and in a sexual fantasy), a teen boy and girl having intercourse, sounds of an adult couple having sex, an adult male seducing and sexually assaulting 13-year-old, a teen boy and an adult male preparing to shave a young teen's pubic hair in two separate scenes, menstrual blood (including one scene of a bloody tampon), multiple scenes of teen masturbation (both off-camera and partially on-camera), and a teen girl being asked to strip for male pleasure on two occasions.
Language: Used liberally throughout: "f--k," "bulls--t," "ass," "piss." Racial slurs (including the term used as the movie's title) as well.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Father gives taste of beer to young teen daughter; 13-year-old sneaks margarita and feels its effect; adult couple gets tipsy after wine with dinner.
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More on Towelhead

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what the movie says about victims of racial prejudice taking out their frustration on other ethnic groups. What other messages does the movie send? Do you think a movie that's controversial for controversy's sake can be effective? Families can also discuss Jasira's journey as an example of survival under horrific circumstances. Do you think she'll ever be able to overcome the life she's been handed? What clues does the filmmaker give to help you find the answer to that question? How does the movie show that having one good person on your side can make a difference?

What's the story?

What's the story?
When 13-year-old Lebanese-American Jasira (Summer Bishil) threatens her insecure mother's relationship with a live-in boyfriend, the young teen is sent to live with her father, Rifat (Peter Macdissi), in an arid, charmless community in Texas. The self-absorbed Rifat hasn't a clue about parenting and relates to his daughter only as a misguided, short-tempered authority figure. In her desperate need for a loving, nurturing relationship, Jasira falls prey to the seductive advances of Mr. Vuoso (Aaron Eckhart), a military man who lives a few houses away; to the hormone-driven magnetism of Thomas (Eugene Jones III), an African-American classmate; and to the anti-Arab sentiment everywhere around her. Only the arrival of Melina (Toni Collette) in the house next door offers Jasira a safe harbor and the hope of a better life.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
TOWELHEAD is very hard to watch. The fact that it's being touted as a "comedy" is misleading at the very least. The only laughs come when the audience reacts to the depths of cruelty, selfishness, and insensitivity on display. Even "black" comedy shouldn't be this bleak. When not laughing at the characters' witless behavior, viewers will gasp at their brutality, ugliness, and insensitivity. These are damaged people, stunted emotionally, blaming others, and wreaking havoc on the next generation.

If the intention of writer-director Alan Ball is to "shock" and "awe" audiences on his way to revealing that even the most vulnerable among us can survive nearly anything, he's partially successful. The performances are stellar, with all the actors making an effort to show the humanity beneath the horrific behavior. Unfortunately, the end product is just inescapably grim and relentless.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Independent
Director: Alan Ball
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi, Summer Bishil, Toni Collette
Genre: Drama
Run time: 124 minutes
Theatrical release: September 10, 2008
DVD release: December 29, 2008
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: strong disturbing sexual content and abuse involving a young teen, and for language.
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This review was written by Renee Schonfeld
 
 

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What parents & educators say

16

Most useful reviews by all members

eastside01
teen, 17 years old
13
 
Towelhead.
Towelhead is the newest attraction from the creative mind of Alan Ball. This time he looks at the sexual tension that a 13 yr. old girl has towards a young boy at school and a neighbor. It's too bad that many people were scared away by this because it has a story a pretty good acting, but her sexual desires can be very strong at times in the movie, and one scene may bother many people.
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DesiredLoginName
parent of 4 year old
17
 
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dolalee
parent of and 13 , 14 , 22 year old
17
 
Definitely Adults Only - Not Comedic
I liked this movie, but it was very hard to watch. This is a serious movie about sexual abuse, sexual exploration during puberty, and the difficulties of growing up in a different culture. The main character, a Lebanese 13-year-old is lost among her pubescent sexual desires, guided by her hypocritical father who indulges in an American lifestyle while expecting his daughter to maintain traditional behavior and her neighbors who are not all good people. Extremely good acting in what must have been very difficult roles.
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Cyonnara
teen, 17 years old
14
 
NOT for children but okay for mid-teenagers
I just watched this movie and I loved it personally I think that teenagers should be introduced to this film because this girls life can communicate with others as well. well except the whole "sex with older man" thing
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jwade123
adult
17
 
Good but awkward
THe movie is a very powerful movie, that at times was very awkwrad and disturbing to watch due to the graphic sexuality. I would say that this movie is appropriate for anyone that can buy the tickets, and as long as they know that it is a mature movie with very dark plot and scenes.
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ygr44
adult
13
 
An excellent movie for intelligent adults and older teens
The CS reviewer completely missed the point of the movie. It isn't a comedy of any kind. It is a study of character types, American and Arab, and the development of those characters in the direction of western (not Arab) ideals. The Arab father ultimately accepts that his daughter is a good girl. If he had moved in the direction of the ideals of Arab society, it would have led to an attempted honor killing. In the Arab world, her sexual activity would have dishonored him as well as herself, a super-serious matter. The way to regain honor is to kill her. The father did not succumb to this, but developed in understanding and compassion. If the CS reviewer had examined the other characters more closely, he / she would have seen their character development also. This is especially true of the young girl, who obviously matured significantly during the film. This is an excellent film, properly crafted, and well acted. However, it does take some intelligerce to understand it. Y.G.R.
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YBNormal
parent of 8 and 10 year old
15
 
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JulieKryger1970
parent of and 13 , 18 , 21 year old
17
 
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JamesRobertson
parent of and 7 , 11 , 14 , 17 year old
16
 
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