GOOD HAIR Review and Discussion

Oooh, fine insight into the film. I skimmed a review of this a while ago when it had a small run in theaters and forgot about it for a while. Then a friend made me watch the film on DVD. An eye-opener to be sure. I didn't know about ANY of this particular topic, so while you may have found Rock's focus a little lacking, I found it enlightening.

I didn't think the film was totally successful in trying to find a central theme or arc, but the amount of information I got out of it really made up for it.

Soooo much money... I'd never have imagined it...

Damn good review Justin.

Still, I wish we had a investigation as to why the jeri curl was popular in the first place. It never looked good!

Nice review Justin, I always dig Chris Rock, I'll have to try and check this one out.

My biggest problem with this movie is that it feels like it was made for white people. Every time it was about to address the insane racism behind it all, it changed the subject. Rock never seemed amused by any of it, just sad and hurt, and the way that clashed with the narration gave me the impression that he compromised something in editing, to make it more accessible. It seemed afraid not only to scare and offend white people, but to condescend and offend the millions of black women (and men) who do this to themselves. But I felt myself getting angrier and angrier at it all and was disappointed when the film didn't follow suit. I think it needed a Spike Lee 

 

That said, every white person in America SHOULD see it, because I can't think of a clearer and more ridiculous example of institutional racism in America today.

Well said, Patrick. I pretty much referred every White person I knew to this. Every Black person I knew said, "Tell me something I don't know." I've spent years study race and ethnicity in my academic tenure, and hair is one of the biggest issues for people of color (not just Black people) and specifically women. I've also spent years straightening my hair and feeling bad about myself for not having the right kind of hair, but after college I never looked back. I have curly hair, I go to a specialized curly hair salon (which charges twice as much as mainstream salons, assholes!), and I haven't picked up a straightening iron in almost a decade. It's amazing the comments I would get when I used to straighten my hair, about how "beautiful" I looked. It was really eye-opening to me and I wish more people knew the lengths women would go to look "pretty".

 

On a related note, almost every woman celebrity, musician, model, etc. wears extensions or weaves. Jessica Simpson has her own hair extension line. Britney Spears' actual hair and scalp is so damaged, she can't ever go back to not wearing extensions. The same with people like J.Lo and Tyra Banks. It's crazy.

You did a stellar job with the write up Justin. Sorry for not mentioning it early.

I totally understand the choice, I just think it weakens the film. But I get it, more flies with honey and all that.