In the mood to see something gutsy and controversial, then go no further than Alan Ball’s ‘Towelhead’, an adaptation of the novel by Alicia Erian. You can still catch Ball’s film at Darlinghurst Verona’s cinema.
‘Towelhead’ charts the struggles of 14 year old Arab-American girl, Jasira Maroun, as she starts the search for her own identity under very difficult circumstances. Jasira’s struggles are deep and numerous; she encounters harsh racism especially at school, (the expression Towelhead refers to the cloth that devout Moslems wear), her mother has sent her to lives with her very uptight and conventional father, and with the onset of puberty, she has strong sexual drive. The film hangs together with a very real sense of not knowing whether Jasira will survive or go under.
Alan Ball, who wrote the script to the brilliant Sam Mendes film ‘American Beauty’, direction is spot on. The film’s strength is its flesh and blood characters, we know where these characters are coming from, played by a fine cast. Summner Bishil’s Jasira is a feisty character. Despite feeling so much fear and confusion Jasira has a strong will and makes her own choices. Peter Macdissi gives a striking performance as her father Rifat. His character is easily identifiable- very conventional..loving but strict,uptight…very into status. Aaron Eckhart is great as Army reservist Travis Vuoso. There’s a weakness in Travis’s core that makes him vulnerable to Jasira. Chase Ellison is great as Travis’s obnoxious son, Zack. The other stand outs are Toni Colette and Matt Letscher as married couple, Gil and Melina Hines, who live in a neighbouring house within the estate block who see Jasira as being in risk, and act to protect her.
Highly recommended.