Nothing Is Private

Plot synopsis:
Set in 1990 amid the Kuwait War of 1990-91, Towelhead tells the coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old Lebanese American girl named Jasira (Summer Bishil). She first lives with her mother in Syracuse, New York, but when her mother's live-in boyfriend helps Jasira shave her pubic hair, her mother sends Jasira to live with her old-fashioned and domineering Lebanese father Rifat (Peter Macdissi) in suburban Houston, Texas. Jasira is treated as a second class citizen by her overprotective father. He is strict, does not allow her to use tampons, and prefers spending time with his new girlfriend, Thena. Even her mother refuses to support her when she calls and begs for help, forcing Jasira to comply with his rules. Her father acts very disrespectful towards her and berates her for the slightest thing.
Jasira experiences a sexual awakening at her neighbor's home, which is sparked in part by adult magazines she finds when baby-sitting the next-door neighbor boy Zack Vuoso (Chase Ellison), son of Travis Vuoso (Aaron Eckhart). While Jasira is home alone one night, Mr. Vuoso comes over to retrieve one of his magazines and he ends up sexually assaulting her. Jasira befriends a classmate, Thomas Bradley (Eugene Jones), eventually becoming sexually active with him. When Rifat finds out about her relationship with Thomas, he forbids her from ever seeing him, only because he's black.
Mr. Vuoso becomes jealous of Jasira's relationship with Thomas, and, pretending he has to go to Iraq the next morning, tricks Jasira into sleeping with him. When Rifat finds one of Mr. Vuoso's adult magazines at his house, he beats Jasira, and she seeks refuge at the home of Melina (Toni Collette) (who is pregnant) and her husband, Gil, neighbors that were aware and concerned of Mr. Vuoso's inappropriate behavior towards Jasira from the beginning. While staying at their house, Gil notices bruises on Jasira's legs and Rifat angrily knocks on the door wanting to retrieve his daughter. When both Melinda and Gil refuse to let Rifat in, he threatens to call the police and claim that they kidnapped his daughter, but Gil responds to Rifat that he'll tell them about the bruises he left on Jasira. She goes to school the next day and Melina picks her up, along with Thomas. When they make it back home, they decide to have sex, but are almost caught by Melina.
Later, Rifat visits the couple along with Thena. He notices Thomas is in the house and angrily confronts him. He also reveals why he despises him. He then decides to check the house and discovers a condom in the trash. He assumes Thomas is responsible for taking his daughter's virginity and attempts to assault him. This forces Jasira to confess that she had sex with Mr. Vuoso, who is then arrested and bailed out the next day.
Thomas talks with Jasira about her abuse from Mr. Vuoso, and explains that he doesn't want to have sex with her anymore. She says she does not want to stop. One day after school, Jasira retrieves the corpse of Travis' cat, which ran off after she came by his house and was accidentally run over by Rifat on his way home. When Melina sees Jasira talking to Mr. Vuoso, she runs outside to stop the conversation, but trips and falls down on the floor, which causes her to bleed and go into labor. While at the hospital, Rifat is asked by Jasira to accompany Melina in the delivery room, since her husband won't make it in time. When Rifat refuses to stay, he finally decides to trust Jasira and let her stay and live with Melina, which makes her very happy. He leaves the delivery room and Jasira witnesses Melina giving birth to a baby girl.

Tags: comedy

Review:
If you are made uncomfortable by the honest portrayal of adolescent sexuality, racism, sexism, bad parenting, sexual assault, and sexual predation, then you will not enjoy this movie.If you are like myself and my wife, and you feel that dealing with the life of a young woman torn between cultures and divorced parents, objectified by a society that also rejects her, and as confused and eager and scared of her own sexuality as every young teen has ever been, then you feel this is one of the best films of the year.But not everyone is going to be comfortable with honesty.
A product of a mixed marriage (her mother is white, her father Lebanese) and a broken home, she lives with her strict, traditionalist dad in a Texas suburb during the time of the first Gulf War. Though shy by nature, Jasira seems wise beyond her years when it comes to exploring her burgeoning sexuality.
Yet, despite the sternness and rigidity of her father, Jasira winds up getting involved with both a black boy at school and the middle-aged family man who lives two doors down.With "Towelhead," writer/director Alan Ball returns to the theme of simmering suburban eroticism that he explored so effectively in "American Beauty" and "Six Feet Under." Indeed, it's safe to say that "Towelhead" is possibly the most perceptive, frank and intelligent exploration of teenage sexuality I've ever seen on film.
Often times, we get the sense that Jasira is using her new found sexuality - without yet fully understanding the powerful effect it is having on the males around her - to fill an emotional void in her life, a void caused by a mother and a father who are so caught up in their own lives that they have little left over for their daughter.
For while Jasira is being taunted by the kids at school for her dark skin (even though many assume she is Mexican), her own father is forbidding her to date a black boy who has taken a romantic interest in her.Ball has populated his story (based on the novel by Alicia Erian) with a rich array of complex, multi-dimensional characters, each one a unique and closely observed individual.
Yet, he clearly acknowledges that there is such a thing as going over the line, and that adults need to understand that their own desires should never be fulfilled at the expense of others more vulnerable than themselves.Summer Bishil is heartbreaking and utterly believable as young Jashira, while Peter Macdissi infuses both a sense of menace and a strangely offbeat humor into the role of her hardnosed, dogmatic father.
The ensemble cast is a standout but Summer Bishil absolutely steals this one by delivering an amazingly adult performance of an almost impossible role, and Peter Macdissi, as her father, is also excellent with a heavily nuanced complex character.I'd also like to point out this movie has more WTF moments than anything I've seen in recent memory.Another thing I was struck with is just how commonplace, how "normal" the events in this girl's life appear, and that is even more disturbing.I'd like to close by saying this movie will not be enjoyed by everyone, nor will it be understood by everyone.
Alan Ball's TOWELHEAD is as dark, and biting as American BEAUTY, but with a different slant as a young girl begins to experience the reality of life growing up in the suburbs of America.
The cast is superb, the young actor, Summer Bishil, is tremendous in her role, and the film and story resonate with a young girl wanting to be accepted for who she is, but instead has to face incidents which would impale another young girl.TOWELHEAD deals with prejudice, a multicultural American society that faces Iraq, and other issues, along with the sexuality of young men and women.
How Can You Find Yourself if No One Can See You?Plot: A young Arab-American girl struggles with her sexual obsession, a bigoted Army reservist and her strict father during the Gulf War.I got really, really, but I mean, really lucky to catch this at the Deauville American Film Festival.
You can call me whatever you want and say that I'm nuts, but that's my point of view.The film is set on the year 1991 on the Gulf War. When I first read the novel I thought: Well, this doesn't looks like a book that no one will ever adapt to the cinema.
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).
Despite having the looks of a "movie star", nobody could accuse actor Aaron Eckhart of only accepting easy and safe characters.Sure, his filmography includes the obligatory romantic comedies (No Reservations) and action films (The Dark Knight), but it also includes irreverent and unconventional films like Nurse Betty, Thank You for Smoking and Towelhead.However, Eckhart is not the leading actor in the last mentioned movie; that corresponds to Summer Bishil, who brings a brilliant performance in this excellent film.Towelhead is an audacious and incisive film experience, which makes fascinating commentaries about the grey nature of the segregation and intolerance between races, sexes and ages.Every character represents different aspects from real society, and their consistent conflicts (on the small scale from their community) evoke similar situations on a bigger scale...the scale which provokes wars, ethnic persecutions and genocide.It is ironical to think that a movie whose purpose is speaking against the hypocrisy from all kind of societies and individuals had to change its original title Towelhead (racist epithet applicable to people from the Middle East) for the more bland and innocuous Nothing is Private in order to be exhibited on some territories and festivals.I think we can also consider that fact as one more of the lessons which brings this strong but honest movie, which refuses to assign any guilt or pointing out villains in its fascinating view to contemporary world.The only complaint I have against this film is that I feel the ending should have been a bit more polished.But that is not a very important fail, and it does not avoid me from giving an enthusiastic recommendation to this brave and brilliant movie.However, that recommendation must be accompanied by a very serious warning, because Towelhead includes not necessarily graphic, but tremendously disturbing scenes, both for their intrinsic content as well as for the apparent "normality" which covers those inappropriate behaviours..
Things don't improve when she strikes an association with a neighbor family headed by a prejudiced yet overly friendly Army reservist(Aaron Eckhart,almost phoning this one in),nor when she inspires the interest(mutual,of course)with a well-intentioned and attractive black kid(Eugene JonesIII).Writer/director Alan Ball(American Beauty,"Six Feet Under")is clearly NOT shy about broaching sensitive issues,and his attempt to illustrate the cruel,arbitrary behavior that can come from racism certainly has the sufficient amount of pop and sizzle to it,but it seems like the raw,unrelenting frankness of this story borders on leering and sleaziness,not to mention cruelty.
However, adults forget about it and have unhealthy feelings for kids who are enduring it.That's the case with "Towelhead", a comedy-of-age dramedy that's unapologetically gut punching, dropping in the realms of developing sexuality and toxic bigotry without a parachute.In 1990, during the midst of the first Gulf War, shy but lovely 13-year-old Jasira Maroun (newcomer Summer Bashil) is growing up, much to the dismay of her vain, selfish divorced mother (underrated Maria Bello of "A History of Violence").
He even refuses her to get tampons, for goodness sake!It's also no fun for her being called a "towelhead" (hence the title) in school, mistaken for being Hispanic and unhealthily pursued by a married Army reservist (Aaron Eckhart, "The Dark Knight"), yet the last part isn't so clear cut.Jasira's benefactors differ in sex ed tactics, but equally care for her, regardless.
An Emmy and Oscar winner, writer-director Alan Ball ("American Beauty", "Six Feet Under", "True Blood") has neatly knitted a film that's hard to watch (especially for parents with daughters), but shouldn't be ignored because the film tells that ignorance, whether racial or sexual, is pandemic to everyone and doesn't discriminate.Bashil's in a strong "me against the world" role, being of mixed race and sexually budding.
Not a slasher-movie ,not an action movie,but after heard about it,I knew this will probably worth the rental,and after seen as a DVD premier,I sad this was a good time killer drama with some sharp themes.No question the main audience rather hate or love when they get the head wash every year,but those feels like they are not around these problems,they will get some entertainment value from this film.It was more than a year ago I had seen this film but the better scenes are still in my mind.Looks like sometimes directly funnier,but this will help for some of the viewers,the movie has two messages,the first is clear,before the ending scene,the second needs more skills..
From scene one, you'll learn not to be so quick to judge the film, anymore than you should judge the characters.With a Dickensian style to the story, a poor little blossoming outsider is kicked out of the house to go live with her megalomaniac father, who is really focused on everything else but his daughter – until his daughter disappoints him by choosing a member of the opposite race to date.
Truly disturbing movie on an Arab-American girl's coming of age story.
Its still sinking in...I had a good feeling about this one but I didn't know what I was in for...Towelhead aka Nothing Is Private is Alan Ball latest film featuring Aaron Eckhart,Peter Macdissi and Summer Bishil.Although the plot is based on a novel, you can clearly see Alan Ball's influence and what he began in American Beauty he mastered here.
Summer Bishil plays Jasira Maroun, a 13-year-old Arab-American girl who's going trough puberty and exploring her sexuality.Jasira is sent by her mother to Houston to live with her father Rafit Maroun, a very strict Lebanese man.
While trying to adapt to her new life in the suburbs, Jasira has to deal with racist classmates and her dad's lifestyle.Meanwhile she meets one of the neighbors, an Army reservist and begins a dangerous relationship with him.The performances were all top-notch.Its amazing how in such short time so many characters were deeply explored.Summer Bishil should get an Oscar for this ,unfortunaly I know this won't happen since the academy only seems to notice the big budget Hollywoodesque films.Peter Macdissi and Aaron Eckhart were great as well.I didn't knew Peter Macdissie but he impressed me...as for Aaron Eckhart he just gets better and better each movie.The film touches so many themes and issues...and most of them still generate great controversy these days !
A 13-year-old American girl, white on her mother's side and Lebanese on her father's, moves to a Houston suburb and finds her budding sexuality causing a great deal of concern among the adults.
Ball also never gets in the way of his actors, most of whom do superlative work: Summer Bishil, 18 when the film was shot, is convincingly girlish in the leading role, at once shy, curious, and seductive (she's not playing a saint by any means, which makes this narrative even more provocative); as her mercurial single father who works at NASA, Peter MacDissi is marvelously maddening, and completely unaware of it (he makes his own rules for everyone to follow, bristling with comic frustration when life doesn't go according to plan); Aaron Eckhart as a pedophiliac neighbor continues to be a courageous, intelligent actor unafraid to be a devil on-screen; Toni Collette and Matt Letscher are terrific as a grounded, free-thinking couple who live without hang-ups.
TOWELHEAD may have been the successful title of the novel by Alicia Erian on which this daring movie was based, but it seems that the title could have been altered to focus on the real issues writer/director Alan Ball addresses.
The audience for a film based on variations of child abuse and racism and prejudice and dismembered parenting and the physical coming of age of our youth may be small, but for those who had the courage to view TOWELHEAD either in the theater release or on DVD, the rewards are plentiful.
13-year-old Jasira (Summer Bashil in an impressive debut) lives with her mother Gail (Maria Bello) and the live-in boyfriend Barry (Chris Messina) until an inappropriate physical advance results in Gail's denial and Jasira is sent to Texas to live with her Lebanese American Christian father Rifat (Peter Macdissi) just as Bush's preemptive Iraq War is opening.
And also a big thumbs up to Aaron Eckhart (playing Mr. Travis Vuoso, the neighbor) in what has to be his most daring and controversial role so far, and it was a breath of fresh air to see him in a role like this."Towelhead" is the type of movie that makes a statement and dares to deal with issues that are real yet still taboo.
But unlike the past 2 films this one has to do more with a 13-year-old Lebanese American girl named Jasira(Summer Bishil) who is experiencing the life of growing up in the suburbs.
I like Aaron Eckhart and he is a great actor, but I thought his role didn't really fit him very well since he is too likable, while playing a pedophile that tries to convince himself of being good while taking advantage of a 13 yr old girl and throwing quotes like "I would've never done that thing to you if I'd knew you were still a virgin" like that makes him a better person, but at the end I sort of understand why he was good for the role.
This film wasn't even close to being good as "American Beauty" but it was a good watch, I just wished it dealt with more of Jasira's ethnicity and how she had to struggle cause of it instead of constant sexually disturbing.
A lot of individual scenes and moments work very well; Summer Bishil as the 13 year old protagonist Jasira is a formidable young talent and is quite good playing against Aaron Eckhart and Toni Collette (especially-so for the former where there are some seat-squirming scenes), as does the theme of rape/molestation.
And somehow Alan Ball can write certain characters, however limited in scope like Jasira's father (Peter Macdissi, doing the most with a one-1/2-dimensional character), with the same kind of conviction he did in American Beauty and Six Feet Under.
As far as just coming-of-age stories go it also faces tough competition from another film just from a few months ago about a girl of young middle-eastern-descent coping with sex and life in general in Persepolis.
That is just one thing as comparison; as far as the story and characters in and of themselves, no matter how much Ball tries for moments of complexity they don't fly due to the rather simplistic nature of how characters are in relation to one another and on their own, like with one neighbor family being the nasty redneck bunch with the sneaky father in Eckhart or the kind-hearted family-to-be with Collette.If it were an actual TV series, like Six Feet Under, there might be time to let the characters breathe and their situations to grow more interesting.
What we see is a world full of disgusting adults, of men incapable of taking their hands to themselves and ready to abuse little girls, both physically and psychologically (Jasira's parents also cut a very poor figure).The fact that there are no explicit nude scenes is meaningless, this is not what makes a movie indelicate, the limit of morbidity has been surpassed, the overall atmosphere is pervaded by a malicious and dangerous sense of compliance with situations that needed more care and respect for an adolescent discovering sexual desire.
In the "extras" section of the DVD the producer and director even admit to showing the film to Muslim groups- getting permission so to speak to be brave and defiantThis film is a sad tale of 13 year old JASIRA: A 1/2 Lebanese 1/2 American Girl continuously living amongst deviant adults and school peers.
The film stars Summer Bishil as Jashira Maroun, a Lebanese-American 13 year-old teenager who experiences a sexual awakening.
If you're a fan of Alan Ball's work, this film will NOT disappoint.This is a coming of age story about a 13-year-old girl discovering her own sexuality.
But either the source material was weak to begin with, or something got lost in the translation to screen by writer Alan Ball, because the story is missing any of the adult perspective that's necessary to make something told from the point of view of a child instructional.The film focuses on Jasira, who lives with her domineering, traditional and hypocritical father, who rants about "typical" Americans and won't let his daughter date a black boy, even while he whines that he's being discriminated against for being Lebanese.
The characters aren't consistent and don't make any sense, and we don't really care much about Jasira because she's played as such a drip of a character.I'm not sure what we're supposed to learn from a film like "Towelhead," other than a lot of things we already knew, like stereotyping is bad, and calling people names is not nice.
In the first 30 minutes of Alan Ball's film adaptation of Alicia Erian's novel, "Towelhead", I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep watching.
Sure, our subjects go through changes and have experiences, but all of the results are very realistic to true life.We follow 13 year old Jasira Maroun (Summer Bishil) as she moves in with her Father (Peter Macdissi) in a Texas suburb after being caught shaving her nether regions with her Mother's boyfriend (Chris Messina).
But I'm going to stick with Towelhead because a) I like being politically volatile, and b) the original title is appropriate for the film's machinations.The story is about Jasira Maroun (Summer Bishil), the sexually awakening daughter of divorced parents in America.
This is a strangely uncomfortable movie to watch--perhaps because some of the actors didn't want to be there (and it shows in their performance) or maybe directing is not Alan Balls "thing".