“TOW” // TRIBECA 2025
BY MATEO MORENO
TOW is a true-life inspirational style film that tells the story of real-life woman Amanda Ogle whose life just keeps getting upended over and over. She’s a veterinarian technician (without a degree, making working difficult for her) whose life has been often shot down by her own alcoholism and each time she tries to rebuild her life, life keeps throwing a wrench in it. She has a teenage daughter who she’s trying to mend a relationship with, but she lives in Utah and Amanda does not. She has all the skills and experience you would normally need to get a vet tech job, but most places won’t hire her because she doesn’t have that fancy paper saying, “I paid for college.” Amanda also lives out of her car and when it’s stolen one day as she’s at a job interview, her entire life is literally taken away. She finally finds the car, but it’s now been towed to an impound lot which demands that she pay hundreds of dollars to get it out, even though she was a victim of a crime. She doesn’t have that money to get her home/car back and has no way of getting to her daughter. A lot of people would have given up, fallen down. But not Amanda. She’s not built that way. She’s just getting started, and she WILL get her car back and she WILL see her daughter because that’s just got to happen. And if that statement seems like wishful thinking, you obviously haven’t met Amanda.
Rose Byrne gives a knockout performance as Amanda, combining her usual charm and likability with true power and grit. She disappears into the character and director Stephanie Laing wisely pivots the film away from every being too dramatic and never too sappy. It simply feels real, as does her performance, in each and every moment. She ends up taking the tow company to court, but the slimy company ends up putting her on the hook for an even bigger bill. She refuses to give up and continues to fight them, going between shelters, relapsing and then getting back on her feet and finds her daughter slowly slipping away due to her not being able to get out to see her. Truly showcasing the power and persistence of one inspiring young woman versus the bureaucratic shenanigans of America and its frustrating legal system. Bryne is a powerful presence here and you can’t look away. There are several strong supporting performances from Octavia Spencer, Ariana DeBose, Demi Lovato and Dominic Sessa but all eyes are on Rose. Much like Amanda herself, as she rises to the occasion and battles the monsters of greed she keeps you engaged the entire time.
GRADE: A-
WRITTEN BY Jonathan Keasey, Brant Boivin, Annie Weisman DIRECTED BY Stephanie Laing STARRING Rose Byrne, Octavia Spencer, Dominic Sessa, Ariana DeBose, Demi Lovato, Dominic Sessa, Simon Rex SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2025 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: https://tribecafilm.com/films/tow-2025