If you've ever felt as though you'll look bad unless you straighten your hair, get highlights, go blonde, get a perm, or cover your grays, you should see Good Hair. If you care about the effects narrow normative beauty ideals have on the people around you and the larger world, you should see it. Heck, if you've ever felt like you "needed" to do anything to be attractive or accepted, you should see it.
This movie's great triumph — and great tragedy — is that it deftly picks apart our social constructions of beauty and shows us just what they look like underneath. And believe me, though it's sometimes funny, it's certainly not pretty. Chris Rock has, disarmingly, disturbingly, hilariously, and sometimes very poignantly explored the minefield of hair products and social signals that African-American women are forced to navigate. The result is a film that's brimming with life as well as contradictions. See this film, and you'll never look at a hair process (or extensions, for that matter) the same way again.
Jil Sander
I want to see this!
Let's not forget the lengths white women go to in order to fight our natural beauty. Frizzy hair is looked down upon, pasty skin, weight is even more of an issue, etc. We all have our hang ups and it is rather exhausting.
1^I agree. However, your hang-ups aren't used to mock others, instead of getting to the root (pun intended) of why they exist. Also, Chris is generalizing a group that's not monolithic. Every black woman doesn't wear weaves, wigs, relaxers, and so on. He's implying that we all do, which is false.
2Honey, I didn't come away from the film with the impression that all African-American women relax their hair or wear extensions, but I definitely see your point. I'm urging people to see the film because, though it's far from perfect, it at least gives the issues women face when it comes to hair, and the myriad ways that affects us globally, a wider airing. I definitely don't like to see people mocked—and a lot of things said and done in the film were offensive to any number of us—but I'm choosing to give Chris Rock the benefit of the doubt about his intentions for the time being. I think the film that ended up being made could actually have been about 10 different, equally interesting documentaries. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it further, though. Care to discuss more?
3I cannot wait for this to be released in my area! I've been looking forward to it for months
4I saw Chris Rock talking about this on Oprah! I really want to see it.
5If you're curious I'd recommend watching the episode actually, even if you're not a big fan of the big O. It's got a lot of clips and it really makes you think about it--I never thought I'd be interested in it but now I'm intrigued.
6I really want to see this. It is amazing what kind of identity many of us tie to our hair.
7Shoot the messenger...His wife has long flowing locks! No wonder his daughter has a complex!
8I have to ask - is this just about african american hair or does it cover all types of hair?
I absolutely hate that when I try and grow out my natural ash blonde that everyone tells me how ugly the color is, "it's just not a pretty honey blonde" and how much they like it better when I continuously dye it.
9Oh and I do want to see this regardless of whether it covers all hair types.
10"good Hair" is the term used by African Americans for hair that is not kinky and straighting is not necessary for a "good" look. Kinky hair is not exclusive to AA's but this film is about AA hair and all the stuff WE do to assimilate to "white Folks Hair" LOL...
11The trailer for this movie made me really sad.
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