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American Beauty's creator tackles the coming-of-age story nobody wanted to see.
TMDB
62
IMDb
69
Rotten Tomatoes
49
Audience Score
58
Google
85
Watch(US)

Towelhead (2008)

uncomfortably honestsuburban decayidentity minefield

Overview

Drama

A young Arab-American girl struggles with her sexual obsession, a bigoted Army reservist, and her strict father during the Gulf War.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
parent child relationshippubertysmall townneighborpedophiliagulf warethnic stereotypearabianmenstruationarab-american+3 more

Standout Aspects

Acting

Summer Bishil's fearless, unreadable stillness.

Direction

Ball's clinical eye refuses to look away.

Writing

Dialogue that weaponizes politeness.

Best for:Solo: When you're ready to sit with discomfort alone.·Streaming: Pause frequently. You'll need breaths.·Rewatch: Second viewing catches complicit gazes you missed.
Heads up:Triggers: Explicit grooming of 13-year-old; racialized sexual violence.·Disturbing: Unflinching depictions of child sexual abuse.
Alan Ball

Director

Alan Ball

ReleasedSep 12, 2008
Runtime1h 51m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelheavy
Revenue$367.6K
This is that
Your Face Goes Here Entertainment

Top Cast

Summer Bishil

Summer Bishil

Jasira Maroun

Aaron Eckhart

Aaron Eckhart

Mr. Vuoso

Toni Collette

Toni Collette

Melina Hines

Maria Bello

Maria Bello

Gail Monahan

Peter Macdissi

Peter Macdissi

Rifat Maroun

Lynn Collins

Lynn Collins

Thena Panos

Chase Ellison

Chase Ellison

Zack Vuoso

Matt Letscher

Matt Letscher

Gil Hines

Chris Messina

Chris Messina

Barry

Gemmenne de la Peña

Gemmenne de la Peña

Denise

Carrie Preston

Carrie Preston

Evelyn Vuoso

LoriDawn Messuri

LoriDawn Messuri

Topless Golfer

Ask about Towelhead

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

The title is a slur Jasira's father uses; Ball fought the studio to keep it. Summer Bishil was 19 playing 13, requiring intimacy coordinators for scenes with Aaron Eckhart.

Cultural

Released in 2008, the film eerily predicts post-9/11 surveillance of Arab-Americans and the eventual #MeToo reckoning with 'nice guy' predators in suburban enclaves.

YouTube

Nothing Is Private "Towelhead" official Trailer

Nothing Is Private "Towelhead" official Trailer

Gallery

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