Film Review – Tow

“Inspired by a true story,” “Tow” finds screenwriters Jonathan Keasey and Brant Boivin out to turn the saga of Amanda Ogle and her lengthy battle to get her car back from a towing company into a dramatic study of persistence. There are a lot of layers to Ogle’s experience, and the writing respects most of them as it hunts for a way to merge the power of personal difficulties with the more audience-pleasing elements of underdog cinema. Grittiness isn’t tested with the picture, but director Stephanie Laing does a capable job working through characterization, getting a sense of life out of the players in this game of frustration, and emotional intimacy is protected. Laing also has star Rose Byrne, who contributes another excellent performance as Ogle, working with a nuanced dramatic arc that gives her plenty to play while surrounded by a colorful supporting cast. “Tow” is a little unusual as it straddles the line between mainstream and indie moviemaking, but it delivers heart and significance with its unusual understanding of persistence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com