Towelhead

Play trailer

Towelhead

R

Released Sep 12, 2008

2h 8m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

49%

Tomatometer

113 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

At age 13, Jasira (Summer Bishil) lives with her mother, Gail (Maria Bello), in upstate New York, but is then sent to live with her rigid, emotionally distant Lebanese father, Rifat (Peter Macdissi), in Houston. Jasira, who is struggling with her emerging sexuality, finds herself subjected to the taunts of racist schoolmates, the sexual advances of her new boyfriend, Thomas (Eugene Jones), and the inappropriate yet titillating attentions of handsome, married neighbor Mr. Vuoso (Aaron Eckhart).

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

This story of politics, race and, sexual awakening has moments that pack a punch, but overall, Towelhead never quite achieves the nuance of helmer Alan Ball's television work.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B-

Feb 18, 2012

Full Review

David Fear

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

As a director [Ball] amplifies the flaws in his own writing; his supporting characters are too broadly pitched to take seriously, and he tends to smack you in the face with the point of every scene.

Dec 17, 2008

Full Review

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Towelhead isn't a movie, it's a loaded gun.

Aug 15, 2011

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

The discomfort zones of a young girl cry for sympathetic toughness, not Ball's snickering at pubic hair and clammy suburbanites

Aug 26, 2009

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A philosophy of the appeal of innocence and perversion in a repressed world...

Rated: 3/4

Feb 9, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Bob P

Summer Bishil delivers a riveting performance as a 13 year old girl discovering her sexuality while living with a disciplinarian father. There are some unsettling scenes in this movie but it outstanding and worth the moments of discomfort.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/24

Full Review

Leo I

It's not for the faint of heart and deals with sexual abuse/physical abuse of a 13 year old girl which is depicted on screen. The 3.5 stars is for its realistic depiction of cultural and sexual themes. A victim will get triggered by what is shown though. It's not a perfect movie by any means but the script and pacing are pretty good. It is NOT a fun or casual watch. The young actress that plays the girl (an adult) did a great job. There are some great performances in this and ultimately there is a message and I do believe something relatable and teachable RE sexual abuse of minors. But as I said, it's difficult to watch and it had me at times shocked and audibly saying "eew". It is not a re watch type movie but I'm not upset I watched it because I felt it was good to honor the experiences of many people that go through similar things.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/03/23

Full Review

steve d

Surprisingly uncomfortable and not at all engaging.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Grant P

It's almost odd how much it seems to be emulating the themes of American Beauty, but itd does so in a way that is far less cinematic. It's captivating in its brutally honest depiction of the sexual and racial trauma of young girls in middle America, and has a truly stellar performance by Aaron Eckhardt as the sexual predator next door. However, the movie simply fell flat in terms of, how else should I say this . . . filmmaking. There were also a couple of performances (Jasira's father and boyfriend) that felt overwrought in a way that seemed stylistically tonedeaf to the rest of the film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/16/22

Full Review

stephanie b

uncomfortable. raw. nothing like i've ever seen.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very honest portrayal of racism in America.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Alan Ball

Director

Summer Bishil

Jasira

Aaron Eckhart

Mr. Vuoso

Peter Macdissi

Rifat

Toni Collette

Melina

Maria Bello

Gail

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

21 Grams

80%

86%

21 Grams

Watchlist

The Door in the Floor

67%

64%

The Door in the Floor

Watchlist

Explicit Ills

54%

39%

Explicit Ills

Watchlist

Snow Angels

68%

67%

Snow Angels

Watchlist

Quartet

44%

31%

Quartet

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RT on DVD: A Matthew McConaughey Stinker or Event Horizon on Blu-ray?

Toronto Film Fest: Margot at the Wedding, Nothing is Private Reviews

RTIndie: TIFF Acquisitions Include Controversial, Political Films

View more photos

Synopsis

At age 13, Jasira (Summer Bishil) lives with her mother, Gail (Maria Bello), in upstate New York, but is then sent to live with her rigid, emotionally distant Lebanese father, Rifat (Peter Macdissi), in Houston. Jasira, who is struggling with her emerging sexuality, finds herself subjected to the taunts of racist schoolmates, the sexual advances of her new boyfriend, Thomas (Eugene Jones), and the inappropriate yet titillating attentions of handsome, married neighbor Mr. Vuoso (Aaron Eckhart).

Director: Alan Ball
Producer: Ted Hope, Steven Rales, Alan Ball
Screenwriter: Alan Ball
Distributor: Warner Independent
Production Co: This Is That Productions, Your Face Goes Here Entertainment, Indian Paintbrush
Rating: R (Disturbing Sexual Content|Abuse Inv. A Young Teen|Involving Teen|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $371.4K
Runtime: 2h 8m

Most Popular at Home Now