Parents' Guide to Tow

Amanda's ride is a bumpy one, and at times the road feels too frustrating to stay on, but the journey offers several vistas that may steer viewers toward greater compassion and understanding. One stop along the way in Tow is the need for consumer protections—a phrase that may make some folks' eyes glaze over, but if you restate it as "fighting corporate bullying," people are more likely to perk up. Amanda is the victim of a vindictive campaign by the tow company's heartless, high-powered lawyer, who throws up roadblocks at every turn. Ignoring her calls and emails, adding vague charges to her bill, and fighting her small claims court item with a bigger lawsuit are all ways the tow company tries to grind Amanda into giving up. It's a memorable lesson in how some with wealth and power may try to strong-arm those who lack the time, money, or wherewithal to take them on. But Amanda has no alternative, and so she doesn't turn back.

The film also turns its headlights on a question many people misunderstand: the way that a "regular" person can become unhoused. Among the women in the shelter where Amanda finds refuge, some are recovering from addiction and some were dealt a bad hand, but all are incredibly human and trying to navigate their way out. In the story of Amanda, we can see that, for those without means, one wrong turn can send life spinning into a chain reaction of setbacks, each problem accelerating the next. But she's definitely not looking for a handout, possibly to her detriment. And here's where Tow does a U-turn on stereotypes, while arriving at the intersection of pride and humility. By all accounts, Amanda is a humble person. She takes responsibility for her dependence on alcohol (even though there's a lot that's unfair in how she arrived at that dependency), and yet she doesn't want to be labeled as "homeless." So she says she's OK when she's not. And she refuses help when she needs it. All of that costs her precious time and energy. Tow is engaging on its own, but the life lessons buckled into the backseat may stick with teen viewers as they slip into the driver's seat and motor into their own life.