Towelhead DVD: Review By B. Alan Orange

The sex scenes are graphic. And taboo. Aaron Eckhart's character has on-screen relations with a girl that is thirteen (though actress Summer Bishil was 20 at the time of filming). I wanted to get that notion out of the way first, because it may be the deciding factor in whether or not you want to actually sit down and watch this charged coming-of-age drama. Based on Alicia Erian's novel of the same name, director Alan Ball, who wrote the similarly themed American Beauty, has crafted a nearly perfect drama. And he keeps most of Erian's story in tact. The film follows the plight of young Jasira Maroun as she is shipped off to live with her strict Lebanese born father. Her mother (Maria Bello) finds the young girl shaving her legs in front of mom's live-in boyfriend. And before the girl can wipe the shaving cream off her thighs, she's in another part of the country. It doesn't take Jasira long to make friends with her new next door neighbors, a young Texas family raised on cheap beer and grounded ethics. Jasira takes an almost instant liking to the dad, as played by Eckhart. He is an army reservist, and despite his loving wife and young son, he can't help but fall in love with this pretty half-Lebanese girl that has just moved into the cul-de-sac. A great deal of the film deals with Jasira's strained relationship with her father. And the sexual rape scenes are used as a narrative means to liberate the young woman at the forefront of the film. You will either appreciate it, or you will loathe it. It's a film that you should definitely see either way.

There is a featurette titled Towelhead: A Community Discussion where director/writer Alan Ball hosts two insightful panels on issues that the film raises. The first discussion includes co-stars Summer Bishil and her on-screen father Peter Macdissi. The second one features original author Alicia Erian.

The film is presented in the widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ration, enhances for widescreen TVs. In color. The film runs a total of one hour and fifty-six minutes.

The film is presented in English and French Dolby Digital Surround 5.1.

They've ditched the more innocent looking theatrical artwork for a picture collage that includes the entire cast. Though the film explores issues of objectivity, that hasn't stopped the producers of this package from including a sexed-up image of Summer Bishil as thirteen-year-old Jasira, a finger tugging playfully at her lip. Overall, it is sort of bland and uninteresting. It certainly wouldn't catch my attention.

This will be a tough sell for some. It deals with a lot of hot button issues, and you might be shocked into turning it off before you even reach the midway point. If you can overlook those aspects, you will find a stirring drama that is quite important and insightful. It was one of 2008's best, and you should check it out if you have the time.