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Towelhead

Original title: Nothing Is Private
  • 20072007
  • RR
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
This is the theatrical trailer for Towelhead, directed by Alan Ball.
Play trailer2:12
5 Videos
45 Photos
  • Drama
A young Arab-American girl struggles with her sexual obsession, a bigoted Army reservist and her strict father during the Gulf War.A young Arab-American girl struggles with her sexual obsession, a bigoted Army reservist and her strict father during the Gulf War.A young Arab-American girl struggles with her sexual obsession, a bigoted Army reservist and her strict father during the Gulf War.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
12K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Alan Ball
  • Writers
    • Alan Ball(written for the screen by)
    • Alicia Erian(novel "Towelhead")
  • Stars
    • Summer Bishil
    • Aaron Eckhart
    • Peter Macdissi
Top credits
  • Director
    • Alan Ball
  • Writers
    • Alan Ball(written for the screen by)
    • Alicia Erian(novel "Towelhead")
  • Stars
    • Summer Bishil
    • Aaron Eckhart
    • Peter Macdissi
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 64User reviews
    • 107Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations

    Videos5

    Towelhead: Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:12
    Towelhead: Theatrical Trailer
    Towelhead
    Clip 1:07
    Towelhead
    Towelhead
    Clip 0:35
    Towelhead
    Towelhead
    Clip 1:47
    Towelhead
    Towelhead
    Clip 0:41
    Towelhead

    Photos45

    Toni Collette, Matt Letscher, and Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi, and Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Peter Macdissi and Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Toni Collette and Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Maria Bello in Towelhead (2007)
    Toni Collette in Towelhead (2007)
    Aaron Eckhart and Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Aaron Eckhart in Towelhead (2007)
    Aaron Eckhart in Towelhead (2007)
    Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Summer Bishil in Towelhead (2007)
    Peter Macdissi in Towelhead (2007)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Summer Bishil
    Summer Bishil
    • Jasira Marounas Jasira Maroun
    Aaron Eckhart
    Aaron Eckhart
    • Travis Vuosoas Travis Vuoso
    Peter Macdissi
    Peter Macdissi
    • Rifat Marounas Rifat Maroun
    • (as Peter MacDissi)
    Chris Messina
    Chris Messina
    • Barryas Barry
    Maria Bello
    Maria Bello
    • Gail Monahanas Gail Monahan
    Gemmenne de la Peña
    Gemmenne de la Peña
    • Deniseas Denise
    Robert Baker
    Robert Baker
    • Mr. Joffreyas Mr. Joffrey
    Eamonn Roche
    • School Photographeras School Photographer
    Carrie Preston
    Carrie Preston
    • Evelyn Vuosoas Evelyn Vuoso
    Chase Ellison
    Chase Ellison
    • Zack Vuosoas Zack Vuoso
    Irina Voronina
    Irina Voronina
    • "Snow Queen" Centerfoldas "Snow Queen" Centerfold
    Cleo King
    Cleo King
    • Sales Clerkas Sales Clerk
    Michael McShae
    • Middle School Jerkas Middle School Jerk
    D.C. Cody
    D.C. Cody
    • Middle School Jerkas Middle School Jerk
    Soledad St. Hilaire
    Soledad St. Hilaire
    • Janitoras Janitor
    Nathalie Walker
    Nathalie Walker
    • "Golf Girl" Centerfoldas "Golf Girl" Centerfold
    Kim Knight
    • Topless Golferas Topless Golfer
    • (as Kimberly Knight)
    LoriDawn Messuri
    LoriDawn Messuri
    • Golferas Golfer
    • (as Loridawn Messuri)
    • Director
      • Alan Ball
    • Writers
      • Alan Ball(written for the screen by)
      • Alicia Erian(novel "Towelhead")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Actress Summer Bishil turned 18 before filming started.
    • Goofs
      When Jasira is talking to her mother on the payphone when her father has locked her out, there is a "We Card" sticker visible in the convenience store window. The "We Card" tobacco program was not started until 1995, several years after the movie takes place.
    • Quotes

      Jasira Maroun: [about girlie magazine] Women look at these pictures?

      Melina Hines: Yeah. They look at them and feel like crap.

      Jasira Maroun: Do women ever look at them and feel good?

      Melina Hines: Well, maybe. Is that how you feel? I mean, they're sexy pictures. How anyone feels when they look at them doesn't really matter. It's private. But how a kid your age got a magazine like this, that isn't private. Who gave you this?

      Jasira Maroun: [no answer]

      Melina Hines: Jasira, did an adult give you this?

      Jasira Maroun: [no answer]

    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: Towelhead (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      She Drives Me Crazy
      Written by David Steele & Roland Gift

      Performed by Fine Young Cannibals

      (c) 1988 EMI Virgin Music Ltd.

      All Rights Controlled and Administered by EMI Virgin Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

      Courtesy of Warner Music U.K. Ltd.

      By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

    User reviews64

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Breaks stereotypes while remaining mostly realistic.
    Towelhead's themes of racism, sexual development and the horrors that lie in the dark abyss of suburbia basically come down to one thing: stereotyping. The film goes through many different lives and stories, all through the eyes of 13-year old Jasira (played with great bravery and intelligence by Summer Bishil). Through her eyes we see how everyone around her is just stereotyped immediately by the people living in this world and even by the audience. The aggressive Arab-American, the ignorant redneck pedophile, the horny black teenager, the pregnant hippie, etc. All of these typical characters are alive in this world and while they do have some of the characteristics that you would expect from the stereotypes of the character, Alan Ball does a good job of making them more diverse, complex and simply human than you would expect.

    There were some things I really liked and some that I really didn't like. It all felt kind of awkward to me, but I think that helped the themes of the story in a way. Either way, Aaron Eckhart gave a really fantastic performance. He uses that boyish charm and those unimaginably handsome looks to make a horrifically despicable character borderline likable until his final scenes. One of those performances where you know that he's only going to bring horrible things to the main character's life and he makes you so uneasy when he's in a room alone with her, but you can't take your eyes off of him. A truly fascinating performance. I really think he's one of the very best actors working today. Peter Macdissi and Summer Bishil were also great, just a little less-so than Eckhart.
    helpful•22
    4
    • dead47548
    • Jan 2, 2009

    FAQ8

    • Is 'Nothing is Private' based on a book?
    • What does the alternate title "Towelhead" mean?
    • How old are Jasira, Thomas, and Travis supposed to be?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 26, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Arabic
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Untitled Alan Ball Project
    • Filming locations
      • California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Indian Paintbrush
      • Scott Rudin Productions
      • This Is That Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $372,124
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $52,823
      • Sep 14, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $691,733
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

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