Starring, narrated and produced by Chris Rock, "Good Hair" is an interesting, sad, but ultimately thin documentary. Focussing on the hair of Africa-American women, the film examines the various social prejudices and inferiority complexes weighing down upon black women. These women, the film argues, face overwhelming pressure to conform to certain standards of "normalcy" and "beauty".
Whilst "Good Hair" is interesting, it mostly tiptoes around issues of race, class and American history. The Black Pride movements of the 1960s and 70s, which tried to politicise black hair, is also skirted over. Instead, Rock interviews shop owners, factory owners, and those who profit off the sale of hair straightening products, relaxers and extensions. One interesting subplot journeys to India, where the hair of Indian women is harvested to make western weaves.
"Good Hair" is framed around the plight of Rock himself, whose young daughter feels pressured to use hair relaxers. Does he allow her to? If so, what are the social ramifications of this? Rock's daughter's journey echoes those of millions of African American women, all of whom endure gruelling, time-consuming and expensive hair regimes. But why?
For Rock, "black hair" is routinely described via pejoratives (frizzy, coarse, natty etc), its "natural state" derided. This disdain, the film argues, is not only socially constructed, but a form of hairstyle "bigotry". "Good Hair", though, seems reluctant to fully acknowledge this; it's scared of admitting that its giant cast has internalised racism, subconsciously accepted our dominant society's racist views, stereotypes and biases, and are essentially attempting to minimise traditional African features. Ironically, "Good Hair" climaxes at the Atlanta's Bronner Brothers Hair Show, a hair styling concert put on by hair-care professionals. For these folk, the styling of African-American hair is merely a means of self-expression, a means of asserting one's identity. It is not, they believe, a tool for garnering validation or social acceptance.
7/10 – Worth one viewing.
Whilst "Good Hair" is interesting, it mostly tiptoes around issues of race, class and American history. The Black Pride movements of the 1960s and 70s, which tried to politicise black hair, is also skirted over. Instead, Rock interviews shop owners, factory owners, and those who profit off the sale of hair straightening products, relaxers and extensions. One interesting subplot journeys to India, where the hair of Indian women is harvested to make western weaves.
"Good Hair" is framed around the plight of Rock himself, whose young daughter feels pressured to use hair relaxers. Does he allow her to? If so, what are the social ramifications of this? Rock's daughter's journey echoes those of millions of African American women, all of whom endure gruelling, time-consuming and expensive hair regimes. But why?
For Rock, "black hair" is routinely described via pejoratives (frizzy, coarse, natty etc), its "natural state" derided. This disdain, the film argues, is not only socially constructed, but a form of hairstyle "bigotry". "Good Hair", though, seems reluctant to fully acknowledge this; it's scared of admitting that its giant cast has internalised racism, subconsciously accepted our dominant society's racist views, stereotypes and biases, and are essentially attempting to minimise traditional African features. Ironically, "Good Hair" climaxes at the Atlanta's Bronner Brothers Hair Show, a hair styling concert put on by hair-care professionals. For these folk, the styling of African-American hair is merely a means of self-expression, a means of asserting one's identity. It is not, they believe, a tool for garnering validation or social acceptance.
7/10 – Worth one viewing.