"Towelhead (2007)" is both disturbing and oddly funny. I saw this around the same time that I watched "The Dark Knight", so it was strange to see Aaron Eckhart as a sleazy neighbor (to put it mildly). The film explores sexuality, racism, and cultural differences in a pretty unique way, which makes it a must see (it's playing on Cinemax throughout August and September).
"Against the backdrop of the first Gulf War, Jasira Maroun is 13, physically well developed but naïve and unable to say no. As puberty arrives, her mother sends her from Syracuse to Houston to her curt, up-tight, Lebanese-born father. Over the next few months, Jasira must navigate her father's strict indifference, her discovery of sexual pleasure, the casual racism of a neighbor boy and her classmates, the sexual advances of the boy's father, the proffered friendship of a pregnant neighbor, and her attraction to Thomas, an African-American classmate whom her father forbids her to see. Things happen to her, but can she take responsibility and control, or is tragedy inevitable?"
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I just watched this movie last night, and it was very disturbing, sick, and awkward, but I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is that people don't realize it (or are just in denial about it) that this kind of thing happens more often than people thing. That's the sad part.
This movie is done well, IMHO. I loved it!