The system is trying to keep down Amanda Ogle, but she refuses to be run over by it. In Tow, recent Oscar-nominated actress Rose Byrne tackles the role of Amanda, whose real-life, year-long legal battle to reclaim what was taken from her by an indifferent, corrupt towing company became an inspiration to others existing on the margins. It’s a film that tackles a number of resonant themes: injustice, homelessness, addiction, and human resilience. While not as complex as Byrne’s acclaimed performance in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, this heartfelt underdog story is further proof that she’s not just funny and a Hell of a dramatic actress, but that she can be someone we root for to stick it to the man.
Byrne, sporting a tower of bleach-blonde hair, oversized sunglasses, and little baked bean teeth, captures the prideful defiance within Amanda Ogle, a homeless Seattle woman living out of her ancient Toyota Camry. A recovering drug addict and alcoholic, Amanda’s only wish is to be reconnected with her teen daughter, Avery, played by Eighth Grade star Elsie Fisher. But it’s hard for a woman with no fixed residence and no college degree. She’s rejected by one low-paying job after another before convincing a pet spa to give her a chance. There’s just one problem. In order to work, she needs a car, and after an altercation with a parking enforcement, her vehicle has been towed. Discovering its location, Amanda learns she has to pay far more than she can afford to get it back. So, she instead decides to sue the towing company, with the help of a young, crusading attorney played by The Holdovers‘ star Dominic Sessa.
If that were the extent of Amanda’s crisis, it would be enough to fill a whole feature film. However, Amanda also has to deal with her homelessness situation and attempts at recovery. Without a car, she’s left to try and find beds at the crowded homeless shelters. However, she lucks out when she ends up at a church-run facility managed by a stern caretaker played by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, doing what she does best and delivering tough love with a smile. Tow puts a lot on its own plate, and attempts to capture the plight of other struggling mothers who keep these shelters full. Another Oscar winner, Ariana DeBose, plays another mom struggling with addiction; Demi Lovato is a pregnant woman with the gift of song, while Orange is the New Black‘s Lea DeLaria continues to play characters with a massive chip on their shoulders. Nobody can complain about the stellar ensemble, which also includes Red Rocket stars Simon Rex and Bree Elrod, along with veteran actor Corbin Bernsen. While these characters and their various problems help give context to Amanda’s own struggles, none are more than archetypes and that’s a waste of so much talent.
You can’t say the same thing about Byrne, though. Amanda is a fun character to cheer on. She’s brassy and takes no crap when she feels others are looking down on her. But she’s also got too much dignity to admit, both to herself and to Avery, that she’s homeless and in need of help. One of the most enjoyable aspects is seeing how Amanda’s fight transforms her, not into a better person but into a more confident one. Tow is a feel-good story first and foremost, which means it doesn’t go as deep as it could, but Byrne’s performance will leave you happy to have been in the passenger seat to witness it.
Tow opens in theaters on March 20th from Roadside Attractions and Vertical.
