Tow (2025)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A homeless woman fights a grueling legal battle to reclaim her stolen vehicle from a predatory tow company.
The story
Amanda Ogle, a homeless woman living in Seattle, finds herself in a desperate struggle against 'tow-company hell.' After her vehicle, which served as her primary home, was stolen and subsequently towed, she is hit with a staggering tow bill of $21,634. The film follows her arduous journey to reclaim the car that held her life together, navigating the complexities of the legal system and the harsh realities of homelessness.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Based on a 2018 report in The Seattle Times, the film depicts the real-life struggle of Amanda Ogle, a homeless woman in Seattle. Her car, her only home, was stolen and then towed, leading to a massive bill of $21,634. The narrative follows her fight against the local government and the tow company to get her vehicle back. Along her journey, she interacts with various people, including her lawyer Kevin, residents of a homeless shelter like Nova, Denise, and Jocelyn, and the shelter manager Barb. She also faces opposition from Cliff, a tow truck company employee, and Martin La Rosa, the lawyer for the tow truck company. The story highlights the perseverance of a woman trying to reclaim her life from a system that feels designed to keep her out.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stephanie Laing
- Writers
- Jonathan Keasey · writer; Brant Boivin · writer
- Cast and characters
- Rose Byrne · Amanda Ogle; Dominic Sessa · Kevin, Amanda's lawyer; Demi Lovato · Nova, a homeless shelter resident; Ariana DeBose · Denise, a homeless shelter resident; Octavia Spencer · Barb, manager of a homeless shelter for women; Simon Rex · Cliff, a tow truck company employee; Elsie Fisher · Avery, Amanda's estranged child; Lea DeLaria · Jocelyn, a homeless shelter resident
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- homelessness; perseverance; legal struggle
- Tone and mood
- heartfelt; perseverant
- Premise and plot tags
- based on actual events; homelessness; automobile
- Source material / true-story basis
- A 2018 report in The Seattle Times about Amanda Ogle
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its message of perseverance and heart. It was noted for delivering a powerful message about the commonalities between people experiencing homelessness and the general public.
- Production trivia
- Filming occurred in Cranford and Bayonne, New Jersey in April 2024.; The film's U.S. distribution rights were acquired by Roadside Attractions and Vertical in September 2025.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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