Good Hair (2009)
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! Director Jeff Stilson... (read more) 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! Director Jeff Stilson's camera followed the funnyman, and the result is Good Hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African American hair culture. An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair 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.
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PG-13, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed by:
Jeff Stilson
Release Date: Oct 09, 2009
DVD Release Date: Feb 16, 2010
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Flixster User Reviews
This movie will teach you all kinds of things about hair, but I can think of other ways to keep myself entertained.
Watched this at TIFF'09... Chris Rock's doc re: black women's quest for beautiful hair. Hilarious yet eye opening too. Crowd enjoyed it... Also got to see him live in an one-on-one interview the next day--dude is one funny cracker.
Thank goodness for Chris Rock. Black woman have struggled with our hair for so long. I have suffered for years with migraine headaches and feel that somehow the chemicals in relaxers had contributed to my headaches. There is no research done to unc... (read more) Thank goodness for Chris Rock. Black woman have struggled with our hair for so long. I have suffered for years with migraine headaches and feel that somehow the chemicals in relaxers had contributed to my headaches. There is no research done to uncover the effects of relaxers. The kicker for me was when the white scientist was told that black women put sodium hydroxide on their hair and he thought it was very dangerous (even to inhale the fumes). WOW... what the hell have we been doing to ourselves. I would not be surprised if some type of research comes out which contributes relaxers to certain types cancer. If you are a black woman please consider going natural today! I did it a year ago and it was the best decision I ever made. Black hair is managable!
He did his thing with this one. Never again will I get a relaxer and I will not be the one to approve of my daughter getting one either.
I love Chris Rock. He tells it like it is. And in this movie, he does just that. I couldn't stop laughing while watching this movie. From Rock's interviews with actors, musicians and even customers at hair salons and barber shops, he uncovers a lot o... (read more) I love Chris Rock. He tells it like it is. And in this movie, he does just that. I couldn't stop laughing while watching this movie. From Rock's interviews with actors, musicians and even customers at hair salons and barber shops, he uncovers a lot of detailed information with the African American hair industry. I was quite impressed with this style of documentary. Not like Michael Moore films but unique in its own way. After watching this movie, I've come to realize how blessed I am to have the hair I do. Never again will I complain.
A very entertaining observation piece! However, after watching this movie (and I learned a LOT about hair styling), I have even a HARDER time understanding why black women go through all that trouble, and spend THAT MUCH MONEY... just on their HAIR!!... (read more) A very entertaining observation piece! However, after watching this movie (and I learned a LOT about hair styling), I have even a HARDER time understanding why black women go through all that trouble, and spend THAT MUCH MONEY... just on their HAIR!!
Even though this movie doesn't answer it's main question, it's still a very funny, informative, and enjoyable ride!
Good, but didn't really question the idea of 'Good Hair', simply scratched the surface of the issue. Almost like a beginners guide to Afro-hair.
The topic itself is worth watching this Chris-Rock-hosted documentary. The length a woman will go to for her hair. Messing with a woman's hair is like messing with a man's ride. I've been schooled. Thank you, Chris Rock.
The movie was a big stepping stone in opening the door for people who don't know or understand black hair. However, I feel that it was a miss opportunity to really discuss the nature of Good Hair and where and why it has consumed black people's lives... (read more) The movie was a big stepping stone in opening the door for people who don't know or understand black hair. However, I feel that it was a miss opportunity to really discuss the nature of Good Hair and where and why it has consumed black people's lives. I understand that Chris Rock is a comedian and we can only expect so much from him but he story was a lot more comical than I expected. Where was the rage, the disappointment and the true history of "beauty"? Overall, it opened the door but barely. I guess you can say that he simply cracked it but sometimes that's enough to get the ball rolling.
Critic Reviews
It's rich food for thought, though you wonder why little attention is given to the idea that perhaps some women relax their hair because it's easier to style that way, or that elaborate attention to hair is hardly exclusive to black women.full review
Morgan Spurlock, look lively. Sacha Baron Cohen, watch your back. Chris Rock's bright, wisecracking exposé Good Hair is the mane event.full review
Good Hair is certainly no arid anthropological study. Rock's queries are loose and quippy, but his instincts are as sharp as an investigative journalist's.full review
This movie just does take what seems like a kind of a superficial topic and really does go into it with great depth.full review
Part of the fun here is the way our narrator gets at complicated questions in his characteristically glib way. ... [But] real answers will have to be teased out elsewhere. Good Hair isn't selling anything but a good time.full review
Chris Rock's Good Hair is one of those rare documentaries that works on two seemingly incongruous levels at once: It's both social commentary and pure delight.full review
Rock is not only funny, he's an affable and intelligent host in a documentary that is accessible, breezy and highly informative.full review
[Rock] conveys a lot of information, but also some unfortunate opinions and misleading facts. That doesn't mean the movie isn't warm, funny and entertaining.full review
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