Tow, directed by Stephanie Laing, is the true story of Seattleite Amanda Ogle, who took on a crooked towing company over a 21k bill.
There’s something built into a great David & Goliath story, a level of understanding and sympathy that instantly puts the audience on the side of the protagonists. For Tow, as the title suggests, is of a person with nothing taking on those with everything, the monolithic tow companies, with their shady business practices and exorbitant fees. With a mythical takedown to harken to, Your Friends and Neighbors director Stephanie Laing keeps the empathetic and all-too-relatable Tow grounded, but moving.
Based on the true story, adapted to the screen by Jonathan Keasy & Brand Boivin, Tow follows Amanda Ogle. Between jobs and homes, she’s living out of her car, a 1991 Toyota Camry. During a job interview, said car and home is stolen. On recovery from something not her fault, with no way to contact her to keep fees down, a tow company wants far too much money to release it, starting a year-long odyssey to get it back and reset her life. Of course, it’s far more complicated; as it’s a true story, that info is out there, but I suggest you let the engaging film, led by Rose Byrne, tell it to you.
It’s a solid and workable film. It’s compassionate without becoming melodramatic. A situation we’ve all been in, grumbling as we fork over too much cash for something out of our hands, or we know is a rip-off. For many of us, we’re lucky we have the money. But so many don’t. Not Ogle, desperately trying to make it through, to get a job, get a solid ground, and be there for her daughter (living with someone else in Utah, played by Eighth Grade’s Elsie Fisher). Though Ogle’s situation is dire, it’s not poverty porn. No glorification for living line of the system or wallowing in it either. However, t does make clear the disconnection of thought of those who think the poor and homeless are shiftless layabouts rather than the hardworking people that the system won’t let get a leg up. The people in power say “get a job”, but won’t give one without an address, and keep cutting helpful resources. I’ll edit myself here as that starts a whole socio-economic rant, but it’s an important part of the film.
In a good touch, the power isn’t completely a brick wall. There’s a knowing sigh of “stuck in the system too” in a kind deskman in Simon Rex. The villainy is distilled into a lawyer played by Corbin Bernsen that Kevin, a rookie lawyer played by Dominic Sessa, has to contend with. It’s a modest film, dealing with those all caught in the loop, including Octavia Spencer, Ariana DeBose, and Demi Lovato. Within these folks, we have bad situations, but no wallowing in self-pity or over melodrama for the sake of emotional moments. Some connections and moments are a little forced, feeling like shortcuts to close out moments or story threads, and often folks are forgotten for long periods until showing up again. And it’s perhaps shallower than it could be; there’s a deeper discussion of who Ogle is and the whys of her life and choices seem just out of reach; all while meandering through the story of getting the car back; the two halves of the story leave neither side fully fleshed. But enough heart, and Bryne smooths over for the wider view.
Laing actually films a Seattle movie in… gasp, SEATTLE! As a resident of the Emerald City, it’s refreshing. Stay out of Vancouver! Ahem, hometown (17 years this month, at least let’s ignore the first 26) pride aside, Laing uses the location to great effect, presenting the city in a matter-of-fact, ground-up way. Not a travelogue, but a living town. It’s not about flashy camera work, but the truth of the situation and the people. She lets the characters do their work to build th world and the city. Seattle is a gorgeous city, although one with a big unhoused population, and Laing doesn’t shy from it. It is what it is. I appreciate the objectivity on display. And, as it likely is any other city, mentioning “towing in Seattle” and you’ll get a grumble and a story about a specific tow company. I know I have mine. It’s been 15 years, but I’m still salty a church towed me for being one inch into the yellow of their unused driveway. Grrr.
Fresh from her killer Oscar-nominated performance in Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You (in any other year, not against Jessie Buckley in Hamnet, she’d have it), Rose Byrne is just as astonishing. She plays Amanda with a heartfelt desperation of a big personality stuck in the overbearing cogs of the system. Amanda is a big, crass, and states her mind, and doesn’t seem to have much of a filter, but Byrne brings a true humanity and verisimilitude. He’s not a caricature, although we all know people like Amanda, someone good, honest and true, but often are their own worst enemy, who can come off as just that. There’s a beautiful life in the performance.
The remainder of the cast encircling Bryne’s Amanda Ogle is solid. Octavia Spencer’s tough but gold-hearted shelter head stands out. Ariana DeBose gives a warm run of a woman dealing with addiction and missing her kids. A new favorite actor of Dominic Sessa holds court. Heh, with a big Christmas scene, this is the third Christmas thing with Sessa after The Holdovers and Oh. What. Fun. Demi Lavato is fine, she’s trying and far from flat, and she does get to sing, but compared to the luminaries around her, she comes off as out of place.
Tow will speak to anyone who has dealt with the inanities and unfairly balanced system of faceless monopolies, overcharged fees, and just the sheer bureaucracy of it all, no matter if we’re living in our car like Ogle or comfortably elsewhere. Led by another fantastic performance by Rose Byrne, Tow is a good little flick about fighting abut against the man.
And yeah Seattle! Boo THAT towing company. You know who you are.