Towelhead (Review + Critical Clips)
January 24, 2008 - 5:17pm — Todd Howard
First there was the Oscar winning original screenplay "American Beauty," then came a totally unprecedented little series called Six Feet Under on HBO, and this year's Sundance Film Festival brought the U.S. Premiere of his feature film directorial debut, Towelhead, from a screenplay he wrote based on the novel by Alicia Erian of the same name. Of course I'm talking about Alan Ball. I was thrilled to attend the sold out premiere screening of Towelhead, and the film really struck a chord with me. In fact, it was clear to me—and everyone I spoke to after the film—that it struck a chord with the entire audience. At it's core, Towelhead is a story about how traumatic experiences—both for children and adults—shape behavior, and how some of us react to those behaviors in others, when we can't possibly know what past experiences have brought that person to the moment we are sharing with them.
"A film this brave," one filmgoer said to me afterward, "comes along once in a generation, and it changes lives." Whether or not this notion can be proven, is quite beside the point. Another told me that the movie concerned them deeply, that it would be undoubtedly seen by children of the age that are depicted in the film, and that it would give them ideas..." Frankly, the movie is not about what happens to the characters, but instead, it's about what they do in light of the things that happen to them abd around them. But, I'll not get too far ahead of myself.
The film is set in a suburban Texas town, in 1991. The first Gulf war is on, and tension—political, economic, racial, and sexual—is in the air, utterly enveloping the lives of the characters in the story which include amazing newcomer Summer Bashil (Jasira), and Peter Macdissi (her father Rifat). The film glides along a very taut wire with the ups and downs of its families-in-the-neighborhood plot with such a quiet ease at times, that it fools you into thinking it's anything but a dark and intense character study of very flawed individuals in a state of constant relational crisis. We soon find out that it's a story like many other "normal life" stories involving divorced parents, a bratty ward, young teens coming of age, an escaped kitten, a nosey, but well-meaning neighbor, and many other slices of "normal life."
But here's the thing... most movies never actually give us such devastatingly real, accurate and painful slices as those the successive scenes of Towelhead deliver right up to our very well-lit dinner table. We feel too close to the details at times, and frighteningly so, given the multiple "American taboos" this film lines up and deftly tackles. The film gets off to a slightly wobbly start, due to the fact that we are plunged into warm, soapy, sink water drawn by a man who we realize in a breath is not about to shave his face, but the bikini line of a girl who can't be a minute older than 13, who is standing next to him in the bathroom light, cute as a button. (Cue pit in stomach.)"You're so beautiful, Jasira." He purrs, chillingly. "Don't tell your Mother."
The man is Jasira's mom's boyfriend (Jasira's mother, Gail, is played high-pitch-perfect by Maria Bello), and it is this event that immediately catapults her off to Texas, to live with her Dad, whom Mom clearly despises, to learn to "do what she's told" (like not shaving yet, she's too young). Mom doesn't even know that it wasn't Jasira herself who did the shaving. It's literally like one of those "oh my god, what's going to happen now" movie openings, that rocks the boat so hard, that even the film itself suffers the aftershock for several scenes. The thing is, Ball knows this is the case. He knows the impact this type of opening will have, and that he will have to stabilize the craft. He allows things to feel awkwardly paced—perhaps like life for Jasira, after a traumatic incident when she is forced to leave her home and move somewhere else, with a different parent, at thirteen, for doing something she kinda wanted to do, but also kinda didn't, did anyway, then lied about...
This is merely the opening gambit in what is truly a vastly effective, gorgeously filmed, smartly edited, superbly acted, and emotionally crafted film that will surely gather nominations for Bashil's and Macdissi's performances, as well as the supporting performance of a courageous Aaron Eckhart in a very challenging, even controversial role as the next-door neighbor of Jasira's father. He is truly sublime in this part, where he has to balance a lot of dark character back-story that is not played out before us, but is with him in every scene. All of the characters in the film are complex, human individuals, with so much to show us, in so little screen time. This is due without question to the fine performances Ball draws out of his entire ensemble. I have not yet read the novel, but I ordered it the morning after seeing the film, because I simply had to know even more about these characters, and more about the material that inspired the film. The script itself is excellent, and so often it is what is not spoken by his characters that is most powerful. Some scenes where Summer Bashil is mute, looking on, or leaning against a door-jam, processing the goings-on... it is just amazing. My jaw was on the floor at times with the way she used her face and her heart to convey a volume of inner truth. I was blown away. The film will receive a release under the Warner Independent Pictures name. I can only hope the film will get the exposure and attention it deserves.
First there was the Oscar winning original screenplay "American Beauty," then came a totally unprecedented little series called Six Feet Under on HBO, and this year's Sundance Film Festival brought the U.S. Premiere of his feature film directorial debut, Towelhead, from a screenplay he wrote based on the novel by Alicia Erian of the same name. Of course I'm talking about Alan Ball. I was thrilled to attend the sold out premiere screening of Towelhead, and the film really struck a chord with me. In fact, it was clear to me—and everyone I spoke to after the film—that it struck a chord with the entire audience. At it's core, Towelhead is a story about how traumatic experiences—both for children and adults—shape behavior, and how some of us react to those behaviors in others, when we can't possibly know what past experiences have brought that person to the moment we are sharing with them.
"A film this brave," one filmgoer said to me afterward, "comes along once in a generation, and it changes lives." Whether or not this notion can be proven, is quite beside the point. Another told me that the movie concerned them deeply, that it would be undoubtedly seen by children of the age that are depicted in the film, and that it would give them ideas..." Frankly, the movie is not about what happens to the characters, but instead, it's about what they do in light of the things that happen to them abd around them. But, I'll not get too far ahead of myself.
The film is set in a suburban Texas town, in 1991. The first Gulf war is on, and tension—political, economic, racial, and sexual—is in the air, utterly enveloping the lives of the characters in the story which include amazing newcomer Summer Bashil (Jasira), and Peter Macdissi (her father Rifat). The film glides along a very taut wire with the ups and downs of its families-in-the-neighborhood plot with such a quiet ease at times, that it fools you into thinking it's anything but a dark and intense character study of very flawed individuals in a state of constant relational crisis. We soon find out that it's a story like many other "normal life" stories involving divorced parents, a bratty ward, young teens coming of age, an escaped kitten, a nosey, but well-meaning neighbor, and many other slices of "normal life."
But here's the thing... most movies never actually give us such devastatingly real, accurate and painful slices as those the successive scenes of Towelhead deliver right up to our very well-lit dinner table. We feel too close to the details at times, and frighteningly so, given the multiple "American taboos" this film lines up and deftly tackles. The film gets off to a slightly wobbly start, due to the fact that we are plunged into warm, soapy, sink water drawn by a man who we realize in a breath is not about to shave his face, but the bikini line of a girl who can't be a minute older than 13, who is standing next to him in the bathroom light, cute as a button. (Cue pit in stomach.)"You're so beautiful, Jasira." He purrs, chillingly. "Don't tell your Mother."
The man is Jasira's mom's boyfriend (Jasira's mother, Gail, is played high-pitch-perfect by Maria Bello), and it is this event that immediately catapults her off to Texas, to live with her Dad, whom Mom clearly despises, to learn to "do what she's told" (like not shaving yet, she's too young). Mom doesn't even know that it wasn't Jasira herself who did the shaving. It's literally like one of those "oh my god, what's going to happen now" movie openings, that rocks the boat so hard, that even the film itself suffers the aftershock for several scenes. The thing is, Ball knows this is the case. He knows the impact this type of opening will have, and that he will have to stabilize the craft. He allows things to feel awkwardly paced—perhaps like life for Jasira, after a traumatic incident when she is forced to leave her home and move somewhere else, with a different parent, at thirteen, for doing something she kinda wanted to do, but also kinda didn't, did anyway, then lied about...
This is merely the opening gambit in what is truly a vastly effective, gorgeously filmed, smartly edited, superbly acted, and emotionally crafted film that will surely gather nominations for Bashil's and Macdissi's performances, as well as the supporting performance of a courageous Aaron Eckhart in a very challenging, even controversial role as the next-door neighbor of Jasira's father. He is truly sublime in this part, where he has to balance a lot of dark character back-story that is not played out before us, but is with him in every scene. All of the characters in the film are complex, human individuals, with so much to show us, in so little screen time. This is due without question to the fine performances Ball draws out of his entire ensemble. I have not yet read the novel, but I ordered it the morning after seeing the film, because I simply had to know even more about these characters, and more about the material that inspired the film. The script itself is excellent, and so often it is what is not spoken by his characters that is most powerful. Some scenes where Summer Bashil is mute, looking on, or leaning against a door-jam, processing the goings-on... it is just amazing. My jaw was on the floor at times with the way she used her face and her heart to convey a volume of inner truth. I was blown away. The film will receive a release under the Warner Independent Pictures name. I can only hope the film will get the exposure and attention it deserves.
Editor's Note: To view Zoom-In's On the Circuit interview with Towelhead Director Alan Ball, and actors Summer Bishil and Peter MacDissi, click here.
Critical Clips
Zoom in Online's Critical Clips are the gut reactions of everyday movie goers recorded at the film's premier. So, let's hear from you!
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