Good Hair (2009)

Good Hair is a breezy, light hearted film regarding hair and the female black community presented by Chris Rock.Apparently Rock was inspired to make the film when his daughter asked him about his good hair which means hair that is not natural to black African American community. Its straightened using relaxant which is in fact dangerous chemicals that can cause burns if its left in the hair for too long. Then there are weaves, which is a wig sewn on to the hair.This is a multi billion dollar industry. A lot of the money does not end up in the black community even though some people pay outlandish prices for a good weave.Along the way Rock also talks to celebrities about having good hair including Maya Angelou, Ice T, Nia Long, Al Sharpton, Raven. I never really knew about relaxant until I saw Spike Lee's X when Denzel Washington was using it in the film and the movie never really gets to grip why men straighten their hair. Frankly to show that they have hair like white people.Its something Rock could had asked Reverend Sharpton who famously in the 1980s was caught by the press having his hair relaxed by expensive barbers and Sharpton instead of being embarrassed just told the press, come and see how a real man gets his hair done!The documentary is entertaining and diverting but lacked depth. Rock is genial and engaging.

This comment is in response to the film "Good Hair." I felt that the film was made to poke fun at Black women who go to harsh lengths to straighten their hair and to get hair extensions. The film makes references to slavery and let you know how many Black Americans were brainwashed for centuries into believing that straighter hair is better. I'd like to respond to this by saying that even though there are some Black women who chemically straighten their hair a lot and use lots of hair extensions, White women have been chemically treating their hair for decades as well to get curly hairstyles. If anyone ever watches old Hollywood films and TV shows, many of the White women's hairstyles are mostly curled in all of those films and shows, and in later years, you would see their hair wavy or bouncy. Most White women you see today on soap operas always have their hair either curly or wavy or bouncy. None of those hairstyles are natural because most White women hair is just plain straight and limp. Some have naturally curly hair but most of them do not. These are all chemically treated hair styles. Many also wear hair extensions to make their thin hair look fuller. They also go to extreme measures to get breast implants, lip implants, cheekbone lifts, butt lifts and dark tans. I haven't heard any one really talk on this much in the media as they talk about the Black women's hair issues. These issues are just as serious or more serious because when you spend thousands of dollars on plastic surgery to make yourself look like someone else or when you risk getting skin cancer just to get a dark tan, that is not cool. Even though this is true, I bet you would never see a White male comedian make a film on these issues, the way Chris Rock made a film on the Black hair issue. However those are also important issues that should be discussed. Maybe there should be a film in where both African American and White American girls can talk about how they feel about themselves and the images they see on screen, and the filmmaker should ask what would make them want to change. Maybe there will be more positive images in the media for all kinds of young girls and women to look up to.

*Spoiler/plot- 2009, This movie covers the subject of American Blacks wanting, needing, spending and seeking to achieve their idea of female beauty, their having long straight European hair styles. Famous and non-famous people are interviewed to get the facts and impressions dealing with this cultural dichotomy.*Special Stars- Chris Rock *Theme- If you have the money and the want, you can change your looks.*Based on- Black community standards and views on female beauty.*Trivia/location/goofs- Documentary.*Emotion- An interesting documentary peak into a Black community little known standard due to Mr. Rock having two very young daughters that brought up this issue to their father. Mr. Rock treats this matter somewhat seriously, stays on topic, and makes an effort to explore all aspects of this odd matter. He did not explore the more serious aspects of why or when did this black/white beauty standard begin. That was disappointing from a viewer's interest P.O.V.

Fascinating exploration of the topic, I learned a lot.Made me think about what I put on my hair when I relax it and reminded me what beauty standards I adhere to and the racial issues around expecting everyone to have the same kind of straight hair. Touches on the further complication of being expected to be more like another race, in order to be "beautiful". I never even thought about the fact that these women are buying hair from women in India (who don't even know their hair is being sold sometimes) in order to wear it on their heads in order to look "less black". Some people even ironically called it a more "natural" look. I was really sad to see that only 1 woman defending actual "natural" unrelaxed/no weave hair. And even sadder to hear a group of African-American women say they would not take another woman seriously on a job interview if she had 'nappy hair' - that "nappy" hair with a suit is a contradiction!I'd have liked more historical context (less focus on the contest). Especially as they lamented that the industry was not run by African Americans, I was a little surprised there was no mention of Madam Walker's (first self made female millionaire) relaxers but I guess he was focusing on current day issues, not the history of hair products for African hair.My only real complaint is that I wish he'd kept the focus on women.There was too much sexism & judgement from the men. It's very easy for them to judge when they're not req'd to maintain their own hair. They can just go bald or very short. If they were required (for the sake of good looks) to have long hair, I'm sure they would do the same thing. And the assumptions that the men are paying for women's hair maintenance was annoying. The hypocrisy of expecting women to maintain this hair but complain about the price and that it couldn't be wet or touched was a bit annoying. And Ice-T just reminded me why he's a douche, still thinking like a pimp. And the music executive with the goat hair looking goatee points & some serious sexist comments just came off as a huge loser.