A 2025 film with Rose Byrne playing a mother in a difficult living situation and stressful personal life? Yes indeed, and it’s not “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”
In this movie, debuted at a 2025 film festival but just hitting theaters now, Byrne stars as Amanda Ogle. The film tells the true story of how Ogle, a homeless woman in Seattle on hard times, is trying to get back on her feet while living out of her 1991 Toyota Camry.
Unfortunately, the last thing she owns is stolen during a job interview, and later towed away after it’s ditched. Receiving a huge bill to get her car back, she decides to take the matter to court, claiming she wasn’t at fault because of the theft. To help her, an ambitious non-profit lawyer, Kevin (Dominic Sessa), decides to help her.
A good cast can be extremely beneficial to a movie, especially an indie film, and that’s the case here. “Tow” is a film featuring Byrne, an Oscar nominee and Sessa, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominee, as well as Academy Award winners Octavia Spencer and Ariana DeBose, Golden Globe nominees Corbin Bernsen and Elsie Fisher, and Spirit Award winner Simon Rex.
Their talent is on clear display, and it’s exceptionally valuable as the material they’re working with can be a little rough. The script was penned by Brant Boivin, who’s making his writing debut, and Jonathan Keasey, a creative with just one other film under his belt. Together, their effort is mostly serviceable, but at times lacks a greater dramatic richness.
There are a few moments in each of the three acts that feel either inauthentic or manufactured. That’s true with the dialogue and overall scenes. There were some that felt random or out of place. With true stories it’s always possible that these scenes actually happened, but still, a few just seem inserted for comedic or dramatic effect without really flowing well in the narrative. Additionally, there are a few scenes where it seemed like there was unnatural ADR lines.
Despite the writing at times being a bit off, the film still largely remains engaging thanks to its stellar actors. Byrne is especially phenomenal in the lead role. Amanda is a complex, eccentric character who is still pushing forward in life despite massive headwinds. The character’s strife, exhaustion, resolve, and never-give-up attitude are all well present thanks to Byrne’s work.
Sessa is likewise solid as the young, idealistic and even naïve lawyer. It’s a fantastic follow-up to his work in “The Holdovers.” Spencer is terrific, too. She plays the tough but fair homeless shelter manager Barb, and it’s arguably her best performance since 2017’s “Shape of Water.” She is great at portraying empathetic characters with a lot of nuance, and this is no exception.
The rest of the cast, such as Fisher, DeBose, Bernsen, Rex and Demi Lovato round out the picture nicely as well. They add some gravitas and relatability in several scenes. One just wishes a couple characters, namely Rex’s tow truck company assistant and Bernsen’s corporate lawyer were a little less generic. But overall, the performances carry things through.
The film in general is just inspired, too. It’s a strong statement on how difficult the system is on those who are already in a tough spot financially, personally, health-wise, or all three. In a way, it’s somewhat reminiscent of the 2021 Netflix series “Maid.” It’s a positive comparison, as this film also explores the many roadblocks and hurdles set up that are difficult for people to overcome.
“Tow” isn’t quite as strong as others in its sub-genre. The writing is fairly average in many spots, and the comedic elements are middling. However, it’s great cast, spirited true origin and steady direction from Stephanie Laing, who has a plethora of TV experience, lifts this one. 3.25 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 