Chris Rock

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 bl...( read more  read more... )ack 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.

Flixster Users

64% liked it

876 ratings

Critics

95% liked it

63 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Jeff Stilson

Release Date: October 9, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (597)


  • November 3, 2009
    If, like me, you're a caucasian male, I take it that you've never taken a second to consider the hair of African American women. It has nothing to do with racism or sexism - but, well, how much can there be to say? "Good Hair", then, will come off as a major surprise.

    By takin...( read more)g a magnifying glass to the $9 billion industry, documentarian/comedian Jeff Stinson and Chris Rock unveil the economic politics behind the hair industry, as well as our societal preoccupation with whiteness. Attaining good hair is, in fact, self-destructive - an unreasonable expense involving dangerous chemicals, an obsession known to even detriment love lives. Yet the black women in the film continue to insist that they won't be able to find a job with natural hair. We come to realize that the enemy isn't these hair-obsessed women, but rather the media's presentation of what constitutes a beautiful black women - namely, whiteness.

    To straighten their naturally nappy hair, black women tend to use an abundance of "hair relaxer" - a product known to contain sodium hydroxide. Should the chemical be left in the hair too long, the film explains, it can burn the scalp or even damage lungs. Doing a bit of research will show that all modern hair relaxers don't use sodium hydroxide, but nevertheless Rock's point is clear and poetic.

    Rock makes his way to India to discover the roots (yeah, I said it) of the black hair business. In India, where women cut off their hair during religious ceremonies, several hair profiteers explain that hair is of greater value than gold. People have been known to cut the hair of women in their sleep, or even in the theater during an especially involving movie. The women's ritual head-shaving, known as "tonsure", collects such an abundance of hair that one of the subjects points out that the profits are second only to the vatican.

    As an interviewee, Rock is incredibly personable and genuinely curious. He gets his subjects to reveal what they otherwise may not admit - one black man, for instance, says that he prefers sleeping with white women so that he can pull their hair without reservation. Rock's form is anecdotal, and he supports his thesis thoroughly without bashing it over our heads.

    "Good Hair" works best as a probing study of why black women go to such lengths to attain straight hair. Alongside this look at globalization, however, Stinson and Rock make their way to the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show. This spectacle, essentially American Idol with haircuts, might make for an entertaining documentary by itself, but it takes away from Rock's social critique.
  • November 6, 2009
    ok im not kidding, this movie popped up right after "Shampoo". coincidence? Shampoo leads to good hair? but no i will never watch this, next one.
  • November 1, 2009
    Very good film. Funny, informative and intriguing.
  • October 27, 2009
    Vey interesting, humorous, and informative.
  • October 26, 2009
    Chris Rock looks at black hair culture in this hilarious documentary, inspired by his daughter's question, "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" Award-winner at Sundance this year.
  • October 25, 2009
    funny doc. opened my eyes about a subject I didn't know much about.
  • October 25, 2009
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  • October 24, 2009
    GOOD HAIR informs and entertains, precisely what a good documentary should do. As one would expect with Chris Rock at the helm, much of the documentary is funny. However, several scenes are troubling and arguably heartbreaking. Case in point: one scene reveals three soda cans sub...( read more)merged in a diluted form of sodium hydroxide, the product that African American women (and men) use to straighten their hair. The first can, which had been floating in the solution for an hour, was now completely clear with no recognizable Coke or Dr. Pepper label whatsoever. The second can, which had been submerged for 3 hours, was in even worse shape. But the third soda can, which had been sitting in the solution for 5 hours--the amount of time some women leave the solution on their hair--was no longer. It had completely disintegrated. Yikes!
  • October 24, 2009
    this movie i so great one
    of the best i have seen
    in years. it funny and
    calver. pluse with a
    good touch of poinont
  • October 21, 2009
    This was the best Documentary I have seen in a long time. Not only was it really funny but you really learned some things that were surprising and intresting to find out!

Critic Reviews


October 23, 2009
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

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 h... full review

October 22, 2009
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Morgan Spurlock, look lively. Sacha Baron Cohen, watch your back. Chris Rock's bright, wisecracking exposé Good Hair is the mane event. full review

October 22, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

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

October 12, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

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

October 9, 2009
Bob Mondello, NPR

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 anyt... full review

October 9, 2009
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

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

October 9, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Rock is not only funny, he's an affable and intelligent host in a documentary that is accessible, breezy and highly informative. full review

October 8, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

[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

View more Good Hair reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • atundi
    October 9, 2009
    i really need 2 c this he rocks always!!!

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Good Hair Trivia


  • In "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", Willy Wonka greets the children saying "Good morning starshine, the earth says hello". What movie is that line orininally from?  Answer »
  • Ira:"Fighting the alien menace can be tough work." Harry:"And so is keeping your hair clean, shiny, and dandruff free." Wayne:"So it's a good thing that we always keep a healthy supply of..." All:"Head and Shoulders around the house!"   Answer »
  • Annelle: Miss Truvy, I promise that my personal tragedy will not interfere with my ability to ___________.   Answer »
  • "She's not even that good looking if you really look at her. I have this theary that if you cut all her hair off she'd look like a british man." What film is this quote from?  Answer »

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