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Academy Award and Emmy Award winning writer and director Alan Ball is not one for sugarcoating his subjects. The creator of HBO’s True Blood makes what is an ostensibly melancholy subject bearable utilizing humor as a safety valve. And he seems to be very adept at channeling the minds of teenage girls (remember Claire in Six Feet Under?).

Based on the 2005 novel of the same name, written by Alicia Erian, Towelhead charges boldly into territory that few films have ventured. Towelhead makes Lolita look like a first-grade primer. The story effectively combines racism, sexual awakening and obsession - but doesn’t flinch – even though we are tempted to. And just when we think we can’t bear this searing story for another second, a moment of jocularity comes to the rescue.

Jasira (played with beauty and grace by newcomer Summer Bishil) is the thirteen year old daughter of divorced parents; Rifat, a Lebanese-born Christian (Peter Macdissi) and all-American hottie Gail (Maria Bello). When Jasira is taken advantage of by her mother’s boyfriend, she is sent to live with her dad in suburban Houston. Her misguided and self-absorbed mother sides with her beau (Chris Messina) and proclaims that it was her daughter’s fault. She patently asserts, “You will thank me for this later”. Somehow, I don’t think so.

Jasira is banished from Syracuse (realistically, how much trouble can you get into wearing a winter coat all the time?) and instead of sending her to safety, she is exiled to suburban hell. Hot and humid Houston is a whole ‘nother ball game.

We immediately see what kind of trouble Jasira is headed for as she arrives at the airport. Her incompetent father is there to greet her, not with a hug or a kiss, but with an admonition for the plane’s delay. Welcome home!

Jasira is not greeted in school with open arms either. This is where the title of the film is bestowed upon her. And that’s the kindest of the name calling. She does forge a friendship with an older black male student (Eugene Jones) from an uber-nice family (you’ll see why it’s relevant that I mention his race in a moment), but he ultimately takes advantage of Jasira as well – but not without her permission. But at the tender young age of thirteen, permission is not hers to give. When her father discovers he is black, she is forbidden to see him. 

The wheels are set in motion when Jasira is introduced to the Vuoso family next door; Travis (Aaron Eckhart) is a reservist, his wife and young son. Eckhart is probably the best in the biz for melding charmingly handsome with sleaze (go see The Company of Men if you doubt me). And it doesn’t take long for Jasira to respond to his misguided attention.

This thought-provoking, life-affirming and ultimately triumphant but tragic story will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to keep their children safe from predators. This is a difficult film to watch, especially if you have teenage daughters still living at home.  On the other hand, we can’t stick our heads in the ground and pretend that this country doesn’t expose our young girls (and boys) to a hypersexual universe. Perhaps this should be mandatory viewing for all parents. And they may discover another awful truth - that not everything evil happens under the blanket of night.

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