Nothing is Private

Based on Alicia Erian’s novel Towelhead, Nothing is Private follows an Arab-American teenager (Summer Bishil’s Jasira) as she encounters a number of quirky characters, including a racist reservist (Aaron Eckhart’s Travis) and a nosy neighbor (Toni Collette’s Melina), after moving to an affluent Texas neighborhood. The film marks Six Feet Under creator and American Beauty writer Alan Ball’s directorial debut, and there’s little doubt that it possesses many of the expected off-kilter touches that have come to define his work. Ball’s remarkably frank approach to a number of decidedly taboo subjects – rape plays an increasingly key role as the movie unfolds – is generally allayed by the undercurrent of darkly comedic elements, though it’s ultimately Bishil’s exceptionally strong performance that holds the viewer’s interest throughout the movie’s admittedly uneven running time. And while one might be tempted to compare Nothing is Private to American Beauty – both movies paint an awfully bleak picture of suburbia – Ball has infused the proceedings with a light-hearted and free-wheeling sort of vibe that immediately sets it apart from its 1999 predecessor. There’s consequently no denying that the movie’s plotless structure ensures that certain stretches are far more interesting than others, and yet it’s clear that Nothing is Private surely stands as an exceedingly promising first effort from a novice filmmaker.

*** out of ****