SLIFF 2025 Review: “Tow” – Rose Byrne Leads a Gritty, Human Story of Survival and Systemic Struggle

Rose Byrne stars as Amanda Ogle in Tow, premiering at SLIFF 2025 — a grounded true-story drama about survival, injustice, and resilience.

Director Stephanie Laing (Palm Royale, Your Friends and Neighbors) takes an everyday nightmare and turns it into something deeply human in Tow, a quietly searing dramedy that premiered at Tribeca 2025.

Based on the true story of a homeless woman in Seattle whose car is stolen and impounded, Tow follows Amanda Ogle (a stellar Rose Byrne) as she tries to reclaim both her car and her sense of control in a system designed to keep her losing. What begins as a frustrating bureaucratic loop turns into an emotional odyssey about accountability, empathy, and survival in modern America.

Amanda’s journey intersects with a vivid ensemble of characters who shape — and sometimes save — her path. Octavia Spencer plays Barb, a tough, kind-hearted woman who takes Amanda in at a local shelter. Ariana DeBose’s Denise and Demi Lovato’s Nova round out the shelter’s community of women, each bringing their own humor and heartbreak to the film.

Meanwhile, Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) plays Kevin Eggers, a young nonprofit attorney working pro bono to help Amanda navigate the city’s predatory towing system. Simon Rex brings warmth and levity as Cliff, a tow yard employee torn between corporate loyalty and human compassion.

It’s the kind of film that sneaks up on you — funny in the smallest moments, infuriating in its realism, and sobering in what it says about the American grind. Anyone who’s ever been on the wrong side of a tow company, city office, or late fee will recognize the absurd cruelty at play here.

Laing handles the material with restraint and precision, never turning the story into melodrama. The result is something raw and empathetic, balancing social critique with humor and genuine warmth. Byrne is magnetic — portraying Amanda not as a martyr or a victim, but as a woman on the edge who still refuses to break.

There’s a quiet sting to Tow. Beneath the optimism and grit lies a larger truth about who gets to be seen as worthy of saving. Watching a white woman’s homelessness framed as redemptive might strike a nerve — and it should. But Laing, to her credit, leans into the discomfort, acknowledging how privilege and prejudice intersect within systems of poverty and survival.

The film’s closing act — where Amanda finally finds a sliver of justice — doesn’t wrap everything in a bow. It doesn’t need to. Tow is a win for the little guy, but more importantly, a reminder that no one survives these battles alone.

And yes, that 1991 Toyota Camry V6 deserves a credit of its own — a faithful relic of family memories, faded hope, and four worn tires worth fighting for.

2.5 out of 5

A heartfelt, grounded drama about debt, dignity, and the quiet endurance of ordinary people.