Tow
A homeless Seattle woman turns a crushing tow bill into a determined fight for dignity, mobility, and a second chance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- harrowing
- determined
- grounded
- reflective movie night
- social issue film night
What critics said
Aggregate reviews are generally positive, describing the film as a worthwhile and grounded true-story drama despite limited overall critical enthusiasm.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Amanda is homeless and living in her Toyota Camry, making the impounded car central to her survival.
Amanda faces a $21,634 tow bill and fights to escape the tow-company system.
The plot follows Amanda's legal battle to reclaim her car and rebuild her life.
Films like Tow, and why
Nomadland
shared grounded treatment of homelessness, economic precarity, and human resilience
Erin Brockovich
shared working class protagonist, legal advocacy, and confrontation with institutional power
The Pursuit of Happyness
shared poverty, bureaucratic obstacles, and determined pursuit of stability
I, Daniel Blake
shared socially conscious drama centered on institutional hardship and personal dignity
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephanie Laing
- Release Date
- 2026-03-20
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (23)
Cast
- Rose Byrne
- Dominic Sessa
- Demi Lovato
- Simon Rex
- Elsie Fisher
- Corbin Bernsen
- Ariana DeBose
- Octavia Spencer
- Becky Ann Baker
- Rell Battle
Common questions
- What is Tow about?
- A homeless Seattle woman turns a crushing tow bill into a determined fight for dignity, mobility, and a second chance.
- What is Tow like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tow as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Tow violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Tow.
- What did critics think of Tow?
- Aggregate reviews are generally positive, describing the film as a worthwhile and grounded true-story drama despite limited overall critical enthusiasm.
- Which films are like Tow?
- Films with a similar feel include Nomadland, Erin Brockovich, The Pursuit of Happyness, and I, Daniel Blake.
- How long is Tow?
- Tow runs 105 minutes.
