English Movie Good Hair 2009
Cast and Crew
Stars: Chris Rock, Maya Angelou, Al Sharpton , Ice-T, Nia Long,
Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Salt n Pepa, Eve, Reverend Al Sharpton
Director: Jeff Stilson
Producer :::Jenny Hunter, Kevin O'Donnell, Chris Rock, Nelson George
Writers:: Lance Crouther (written by):: Paul Marchand (ghostwriter)
Genre:: Documentary | Comedy
Release Date 09-Oct-2009
Studio: Roadside Attractions
Plot:
When Chris Rock's daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, "Daddy, how come I don't have good hair?" the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head. Rock visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symone, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter's question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn't always benefit the black community and little Lola's question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.
Chris Rock explores the wonders of African-American hairstyles. |
Behind the scenes here lurk a few dudes who have brought us some of the finest short-attention-span TV, so it's no wonder GH is -- I'm going to try and describe it without any puns -- crammed with quick testimonials from a range of familiar faces and sociopolitical without a heavy hand. I'm surprised it's being released in the fall, however, since it feels like this comedy-doc could have swapped places with The Cove. Meanwhile, remember a few years back when documentaries such a Spellbound broke through into mainstream pop culture? I hope GH brings back the Fun Documentary era.
Synopsis
Basically, 'Good hair' is defined as straight hair. That concept has social and political implications, and fuels a billion dollar industry.
When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head. Rock visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.
Reviews
Filmmaker Jeff Stilson follows Rock to hair salons, barber shops, celebrities' homes and the annual Bonner Bros. Hair Show, an African-American hairstyle expo that culminates in the Hair Battle Royale, in which where star-status stylists - including Tanya Crume, Kevin Kirk, Jason Griggers, Freddie J and Derek J -- stage spectacular, outrageously costumed, carefully choreographed performances in which they style hair while dancing and doing acrobatics to win the best stylist title.
Interviewed at length, actress Nia Long reveals that she's completely obsessed with her weave, and that meeting up with a lover in the shower -- where her hair might get wet and nappy -- is more intimate than getting into bed with him. Also interviewed, women who work as teachers, secretaries and other professions say they spend a small fortune, even go into debt, to have their hair relaxed or get weaves. And, assuring equal opportunity, Rock interviews African-American men, some of whom pay for the 'good hair' of the women in their lives, admitting that it's important to them, too, or raising their eyes as an expression of 'what can you
Beneath Chris Rock's smart and extremely funny commentary is a solidly researched study about what are in fact racist attitudes towards physical appearance. People with 'good hair' (i.e. straight hair) get better jobs, are more popular, have better sex lives.
On the flip side, 'Nappy' hair is ugly. 'Nappy' hair is also black. And, the preoccupation with fitting the popular, media-supported concept of beauty has given rise to an industry that attracts billions of consumer dollars every year -- dollars that could and would otherwise be used to fill more substantial needs, such as education and eating better quality foods. The film is provocative and very moving, especially when you see that the sometimes torturous process of hair straightening begins when African-American women are just tots of two or three years of age. "Yes, it hurts," they say. So, the film raises a serious question about whether the popular slogan "Black is Beautiful" should include natural hair.
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