Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn

Lovers undo a hairdresser from Beverly Hills around Election Eve in 1968.

Flixster Users

54% liked it

1,275 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

28 critics

R, 112 min.

Directed by: Hal Ashby

Release Date: February 14, 1975

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: January 21, 2003

Get It:

Stats: 257 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (257)


  • September 2, 2009
    This is probably my least favourite Hal Ashby film but its still fantastic! Beatty, Christie and Hawn give great performances in what is essentially a (tasteful) sex comedy. Benny Hill fans need not apply though, as this is far too cool be associated in the same category. For me,...( read more) its Jack Warden who really steals the show in one of his lesser known performances.
  • December 3, 2007
    be prepared for a really bad hair day.
  • July 23, 2007
    Pouffy little sex comedy aspires to be something more. Beatty is funny in his self-absorbed confusion. Actually everone is. Julie Christie is spot on as the kept woman - but the other characters are not as well written.

    Shampoo is the Paul's Boutique of soundtracks - no way...( read more) you could get all those great tunes in one movie today.

    Trivia: Beatty's character loosely based on Hollywood stylist Jay Sebring who was killed in the Manson murders. Lee Grant somehow bagged a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance. Fourth highest grossing film of 1975.

    Geeks: Carrie Fisher with baby fat and a potty mouth. But no action-figures!
  • March 24, 2007
    Beatty's great in it...The script and the dialogues in particular were flawless, but somewhere, somehow the film failed to interest me. It must have been the vacuous characters. Loved the ending!
  • November 20, 2006
    Could've been worse. Not great, not terrible. Great soundtrack though.
  • August 21, 2009

    Wa...( read more)rren Beatty plays a womanizing Beverly Hills hairdresser who is rogering his imminent financial backer's wife, mistress and daughter - among others. Matters become more complicated when George (Beatty) finds out that his patron is sleeping with George's ex girlfriend. The vehicle provides for plenty of humorous social commentary on human nature with regard to sex, relationships, taboos and social attitudes in general in 1968. (The eve of the '68 Presidential election is the backdrop. A political dinner provides additional avenues for sociological humor, when George and all interested parties convene for some interesting interaction at the event. The film was written and released just after Watergate.)

    When George cynically shies away from commitment, he learns that his free and loose lifestyle may present its own price as he gets in over his head. There are some very funny tension and jealousy scenes when George is caught or almost caught in the act, at the wrong times, by the wrong parties, as he tries to simultaneously juggle multiple demanding females. However in addition to the story being presented from his point of view, George is a likable and sympathetic character.

    The screenplay was written by Robert Towne, (Chinatown) and embellished and/or altered by Beatty. I'd love to see the original, but either way, Beatty's version works well, and he seems to have a very good instinct for expressing what he sets out to satyrize...uh, that's satirize in this film. But then perhaps for Beatty, whose bachelor party lasted 30 years or so, this isn't THAT much of a stretch.

    While indicting, the film has a certain sincerity and sympathy about itself, overall and at its ending, that is ubiquitously touching and tempting to identify with. The ending caps and fits the story well, but is, well I hate to use the cliche -downright poignant. It is the inevitable conclusion, but I was still caught with my jaw hanging open when the credits rolled. In fact I hate to admit it, but I got so suckered into this one that the ending made me emotional. That's rare for me as the movie contained no flesh eating ghouls or exploding airborne intestines.
  • August 12, 2009
    Absolutly one of my favorite movies!
  • August 2, 2009
    2 days in the vale
    Endless blow outs just fall flat
    slit ends in the end
  • July 24, 2009
    This is quite an interesting period black comedy set in the late 60s during the sex revolution. In one sentence, it's about a Casanova hairdresser who sleeps around with every woman he meets but there is one whom he loves and she happens to be the mistress of a not-to-mess-with b...( read more)usinessman. Director Hal Ashby does a splendid job in bringing out the 60's look but it is Robert Towne and Warren Beatty who bring the feel especially through the dialogues and use of language. Not to mention, the make-up department that does an equally fine job.
  • June 12, 2009
    I first saw this in fifth grade, uncut, and it made an impression. A steamy potboiler, but a good one. Some solid satire as well.

Critic Reviews


October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Shampoo never quite connects its images of national mediocrity and personal self-deception. full review

View more Shampoo reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "Shampoo" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • All the President's Men
    All the President's Men (0%)

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings


Shampoo Trivia


  • in what movie was there a shampoo & conditioner fight   Answer »
  • In Evolution, what is lethal to the invading spreading alien plauge?  Answer »
  • In the movie 'Evolution', what was put in the fire truck to kill all the creatures and save the world?!!  Answer »
  • Shampoo: Shampoo is better I go on first and clean the hair. Condisioner: No Condisioner is better I leave the hair silky and smooth! Shampoo: Oh really foo!! Coniditionare:Really!! What movie is this from?!  Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for Shampoo. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?