Towelhead is based on the novel of the same name by Alicia Erian (an interesting name for the author of such a racially charged work).  The book, as well as the film, explores the blooming sexuality of a 13-year-old Arab girl, Jasira (Summer Bishil) during the time of the gulf war.  She’s the child of divorce, sent to live with her father in Houston (who has no idea how to deal with her), and must deal with his racism (her father forbids her to see her boyfriend since he is black).  In addition to a difficult home life, she must deal with the racism of the surrounding community and the disturbing sexual interest of gulf war veteran, and married neighbor, Vuoso (played so terrifically well by Aaron Eckhart).

The more intimate scenes between Bishil and Eckhart will make you more than a little uncomfortable and you’ll often be squirming in your seat.  Even though Bishil was nineteen at the time of filming, she could pass for thirteen any day.  The cast gives one terrific performance after another.

The first time I saw Towelhead was at Sundance earlier this year.  At that time, the MPAA hadn’t reared its ugly head yet, so the film enjoyed the glory of not being rated.  I’m guessing, however, that in order to keep an R rating, Ball was forced to cut a few things before it’s this week on the 26th.

Despite the obvious effort to shock, no one can deny that Ball has the skills to back up these provocations, and despite being a little shook up upon leaving the theater, you’ll also be quite pleased with this thought provoking piece.

3 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 49% – Cream of the Crop: 50% (These numbers will most certainly change after the wide-release)

When I saw Brittany Murphy listed, my mind made an inaudible, ‘Ahhhh’ (Ahhhh in the bad, disappointed way, not like the Ahhhh you make when you see puppies).  But then I continued to read: Toni Collette, Giovanni Ribisi (okay, he’s questionable), Rose Byrne, James Franco (who only won me over last week with his performance in Pineapple Express), Josh Brolin, Marcia Gay Harden, and several others. Then I asked ChaCha what it got on RottenTomatoes and was pleasantly surprised to find out it received 74%. This resulted in a renting.  An ensemble cast like that had to at least be interesting.

The film is made up of several vignettes with simplistic titles like ‘The Stranger,’ ‘The Mother,’ ‘The Dead Girl.’  Each vignette varies greatly in interest (often connected to the acting talent of the main players), although all are disturbing in there own way.  In the same vein as Robert Altman’s Short Cuts and P.T. Anderson’s Magnolia, each seemingly unrelated story ends up being related, in some way or another, to the discovery of the body of a dead girl.  I definitely can’t say that all parts of the film are worth watching, but some definitely are (particularly the section with Rose Byrne).

Writer/director Karen Moncrieff doesn’t have much experience writing or directing (to date, she’s stuck mostly with TV, including directing an episode of Six Feet Under). But still there’s something to her direction, the film definitely has some shining moments.  The Dead Girl failed to achieve it’s lofty ambitions (I’m pretty sure the limited release on December 29th meant she had award season dreams), but deserves respect for it’s attempt at originality.

2.5 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 74% – Cream of the Crop: 63%

Rated R for language, grisly images and sexuality/nudity.