Movie Review - Tow

Sometimes, one good actor is just not enough to save a movie.

I’ve really enjoyed Rose Byrne in almost everything I’ve seen her in. Bridesmaids, Neighbors and most recently, the Apple+ show Platonic were all great platforms for her. She seems bright, friendly and able to play a great straight man. I haven’t been able to see the film, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You yet, but she obviously is great in that, because she received an Oscar nomination this year for Best Actress.

7:42●●● 95%

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In Tow, she still has that charisma, talent and totally-watchable face, as she plays a woman “temporarily” living out of her car, trying to keep it all together. When her car is towed, her life spirals out of control.

This is a true story, and it is somewhat interesting, but as I mentioned in the “About these Peetimes” section, I’ve never seen so many montages in one movie. It feels like this is a story that could have easily been told in half the time without missing a thing.

It seems like the director didn’t know what she wanted this story to be - a powerful drama or a light comedy or a legal drama or a character study or a showcase for Demi Lovato (bad call there). When these different elements are pushed together, nothing really works. It almost makes light of the bad side of homelessness due to the tone of the film, and at the same time, it doesn’t make a terribly interesting legal story.

I’ll say again: Rose is excellent as always (although her Aussie accent slips through occasionally). There are two other Oscar-lauded actresses in this - Octavia Spencer and Ariana DeBose - and they’re...fine. They don’t have much to work with, as the script doesn’t really fill out any of the characters.

And then there’s the aforementioned Ms. Lovato. Look, she sings pretty, but sheesh - stick to your day job.

I really wanted to like this more than I did, but it just falls short of a possible recommendation from me. Let’s all go check out If I Had Legs I’d Kick You!

Grade: C

Plot
Amanda Ogle is a woman living in her aging Toyota Camry on the streets of Seattle. When her car — her only lifeline — is stolen and impounded, Amanda is thrust into a relentless legal battle against an indifferent system. What begins as a fight to reclaim her car evolves into a deeply human story of resilience, dignity, and the power of one woman’s voice in the face of systemic failure.