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Towelhead and the perverse incentive of hypocrisy.

Posted by Dante on 2009-January-06 06:22:03 EST, Tuesday
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While the title alone would suggest that the film Towelhead addresses racial stereotyping, its real target is American sexual hypocrisy and the unintended, albeit forseeable consequences, of denying youth sexuality.

The film depicts how America prohibits youth sexuality while marketing adult sexuality so long as it is constrained to acceptable formulas. For Jasira, who is just figuring out her new sexuality, she is encountering conflicting social scripts; all of which seek adherence to social programming over the exploration of an authentic and intrinsic sexuality.

Everyone seems to have an agenda for Jasira; from her mother who blames Jasira for growing up, and her controlling father, to the concerned neighbor whose empowerment agenda comes packaged with an unhealthy dose of victimhood.

The only one without a longterm plan for Jasira's "well being" is the neighbor played by Aaron Eckhardt. Many reviewers have called this character a sexual predator. But he is much more complicated than this.

Firstly, there is no suggestion that he is doing more than reacting directly to Jasira; reacting without enough reflection, but living in the moment. In a film about "labeling," its ironic that one tangled relationship with one girl is enough to dismiss the character with a term usually reserved for those whose actions occur over multiple instances. Only in America does one act of shoplifting not a "criminal predator" make, but one underage lover does a "sexual predator" make.
However he's hardly a model CLer. At an age where she's exploring her sexuality; embracing some aspects, hesitant about others and uncertain as to what this all means, he's just as confused and conflicted about his feelings. And in pursuing them he crosses the line beyond consent.

Of course everywhere else in her life consent is a moot point. Her father thinks she's too young to be sexual. The busybody female neighbor thinks that empowerment means being able to say "No," but has trouble with the corollary "Yes;" and certainly never with an adult, regardless of what Jasira might want out of a relationship with an adult.

While some might come away from the movie thinking that the concerned busybody is the hero in Jasira's life; ultimately that hero is Jasira herself. Despite conflicting multiple social agendas regarding her sexuality only she can parse them for relevance to her own authentic experience.

Perhaps the "emancipation" script is closer to freedom, but she learns to reject "victimhood" as a required pretext for freedom from restriction.

And as for the busybody, her zealous hostility towards the "predator" next door leads to her own actions coming back to harm her. At which point the "predator" shows more compassion than he was ever shown by anyone except Jasira. And ultimately, stepping back within the bounds of respect for Jasira, perhaps he sees more of her than anyone else.

While the film is a breath of fresh air, it isn't exactly like the European fare of a few decades ago. In European meditations on youth sexuality the auteurs identify with their own youthful selves, and frequently paint a positive portrayal from within. While this sort of "coming of age" film has become cliched enough to draw the derision of Quentin Tarantino, it is worlds away from the objectification of youth found in most American films. Even in a realistic and complex portrait like Towelhead the youth is the subject of everyone else's actions, and the film's perspective is linked more to the adult observers than the youthful protagonist.

But at least Towelhead is willing to face up to the fact that those who act "in the child's interest" may be the true monsters.

Dante

Dante

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