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Good Hair
The
quintessential black hairdo that has been forever played up in popular
culture is the Afro – an eye-catching mass of tightly curled hair
sitting on top of one’s head like an all-consuming cloud. If only we
knew how much distress this caused black women and the lengths they have
to go to in order to change that. Chris Rock certainly went out of his
way to find out.
After being asked by his own daughter, “Daddy, why don’t I have good
hair?”, Rock sets out on a personal quest in Good Hair as the
inquisitive documentary uses humour, wit and Rock’s charm to dig into
the preconceived notions black women have about what is considered “good
hair” – a daring and rather challenging endeavour for any man. With a
look at the nine billion dollar black hair industry that thrives on hair
shows such as that held by the Bronner Bros., Rock enters the
fascinating world of fashionable hairstyles celebrated by the black
community, using the personal thoughts, opinions and experiences of
various celebrities, hair stylists and hair-lovers to back all these
crazy discoveries. Good Hair not only points at the humour behind such a
bizarre obsession but also examines the implications behind the
maintenance and taming of black hair and what this might say about our
views on race, culture and beauty.
While black hair doesn’t seem like the most engaging subject to be
exploring in a documentary film, Good Hair does an impressive job in
braiding a series of topical issues that are funny, interesting, and
well worth a thought. From health concerns regarding the use of sodium
hydroxide to straighten the hair of three year olds to the comparative
prices of weaves and perms, Good Hair balances serious issues with
light-hearted entertainment. Such topics are also thoughtfully sequenced
in the entirety of the documentary so that no moment is dull. Interviews
with notable celebrities such as Maya Angelou, Salt-N-Pepa, T-Pain,
Raven Symone and many more, are intercut with personal investigations
made by Rock that take him to science laboratories, India, hair
dressers, barber shops and the Bronner Bros. International Hair Show
stage.
Despite the wide range of locations and issues visited by Rock, it is
his close encounters with ordinary hair salon regulars and the
comfortable, friendly conversations exchanged between them that make the
film incredibly enjoyable. Rock’s curiosity and humorous reactions to
the world of hair sustains the viewer’s attention, but I have to admit,
without this, there wouldn’t be much appeal for a documentary simply on
black hair. Indeed there are moments where the documentary seems to pack
superfluous material, especially involved in the Bronner Bros.
International Hair Show, as it neither adds to nor supports the
documentary in an effective way. Even so, Good Hair is an original and
consistent documentary in its feel-good tone and investigative work. Bit
of a round-a-bout way of answering a little girl’s question, but fun
nevertheless. |
