The film travels the planet in search of stories about african hair, the amount people will do to change their hair, the dangers involved in chemically processing. International hair show and battle, the largest africanamerican hair show in the united states. Something as seemingly simple and innocuous as hairstyle actually has deep historical roots in the africanamerican community. It doesnt offer any solutions, but it shows that the africanamerican communitys obsession with good hair in other words, straighter, looser curls rather than coarser, nappy hair is a mixed blessing. To prep for the film, the good hair team went back to atlanta to the scene of rocks original inspiration for the film. Growing up, i saw black people wearing their natural hair all the time. Chris rock, a man with two daughters, asks about good hair, as defined by black americans, mostly black women. Rocks documentary is a fascinating chronicle of how so many africanamerican women have a lovehate relationship with their hair.
Good hair pg, 1hr 36min comedy, documentary, special interest. Theres a fair amount of strong language a couple of fks, as well as st, bitch, and the like, conversations about how hair affects sexual relationships, and consumerism mostly hair product brands. In good hair, chris travels from beauty shops in brooklyn to sacred indian temples to get to the root of why africanamerican women place so much importance on their hair. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesnt always benefit the black. With john savage, treat williams, beverly dangelo, annie golden. Good hair, a 2009 comic documentary in which chris rock interviews black people about what they consider to be good hair, will be shown at wadsworth atheneum in hartford. Chris rocks good hair doesnt genuinely explore complex issues. Chris rocks 2009 comedy documentary, good hair might seem like a simple straightforward comedy documentary about a womens hair salon. Watching stylists cut and shape hair on a stage with loud music and flashy costumes may be a spectacle, but ultimately uninteresting and not insightful compared to the rest of the movie. The movie starts with rock saying that it all started when one of his young daughters said that she didnt have good hair.
That is why comedian chris rocks documentary good hair about black womens issues with their hair is sure to spark discussion and debate, no matter what color or race the viewer may be. Im going to take the painful stance of suggesting thats because there arent a lot of black. Good hair, comedian chris rocks documentary about africanamerican hairstyles, was like this for me. The result is the edifying documentary good hair, which rock cowrote and coproduced. Clever and funny, rocks film about the hairstyles of africanamerican women makes the cut. It explores the culture and aesthetics of hair in the african american female community. Premiering at the sundance film festival on january 18, 2009, good hair had a limited release to theaters in the united states by roadside attractions on october 9, 2009, and. Documentary filmmaker regina kimbell launched an injunction against chris rock. The end of the documentary does not make a decision about whats good or bad, but as the film closes, rocks very young daughter is still sporting her original hair. Good hair is a documentary by chris rock that examines womens african american hairstyles and including the trend of weaving and hair relaxing for women to appear more european. Good hair is a documentary film created and produced by chris rock and released in 2009. Comedian chris rock takes you on a hair raising journey through the extreme lengths africanamerican women will go to for good hair.
Chris rock comic documentary good hair at wadsworth. Maybe im the only one, but i thought chris rocks documentary good hair was a major letdown. Oct 18, 2009 the result is the edifying documentary good hair, which rock cowrote and coproduced. Good hair is an insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about africanamerican hair culture. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing good hair near you. Instead of truly exploring the history and complex relationship that black people, and especially women, have with their hair, it came off mainly as a defense of straightened hair notwithstanding that one bit about the destructive damage that hair straightening products can do to an ordinary tin can. Good hair is a 2009 american documentary film directed by jeff stilson and produced by chris rock productions and hbo films, starring and narrated by comedian chris rock. A raucous adventure prompted by rocks daughter approaching him and asking, daddy, how come i dont have good hair. Claude bukowski leaves the family ranch in oklahoma for new york where he is rapidly embraced into the hippie group of youngsters led by berger, yet hes already been drafted. Funny, informative, and occasionally sad, good hair is a provocative look at the complex relationship between african americans and their hair. Chris rocks daughter inspired new documentary good hair. Rock takes us on a fascinating journey through hair weaves, relaxers and the amount of money black women spend on hair. Good hair shears competition international documentary.
What do you do when your daughter asks you for the good hair. Chris rocks documentary, good hair, opened friday to mixed, but. Its such a fascinating, complex tale that you hope one day some probing filmmaker will make a conclusive documentary on the subject. Watch good hair 2009 full movie free online streaming tubi. Often, a documentary movie can reveal a whole world you never knew existed. Chris rocks daughter inspired new documentary good hair comedian interviews black celebrities to get behind the obsession with hair. This question peaked chris interest and wonders why she would ask such a question. For the record, jeff stilson directed that rock doc, just as davis guggenheim helmed what was annoyingly referred to as that al gore documentary.
Epatha merkerson at an event for good hair 2009 eve in good hair 2009. With chris rock, maya angelou, al sharpton, tanya crumel. This documentary was inspired by chris daughter when she approached her father and asked him, daddy, how come i dont have good hair. Mar, 2015 good hair full movie streamingwatch streaming full movie. He soon falls in love with sheila franklin, a rich girl but still a rebel inside. A hair documentary, especially for a guy, is a hard sell no, its a weird sell, says the 43yearold comedian, who both produced and wrote good hair. The film s weakest part is a throughline featuring a hair battle at the bronner bros. He conveys a lot of information, but also some unfortunate opinions and misleading facts. He tells us about sodium hydroxide, a toxin used to relax hair. Good hair is a documentary about black women and their hair. Jul 31, 2009 director jeff stilsons camera followed the funnyman, and the result is good hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about african american hair culture. This documentary had a sense of humor, as one would expect from chris rock, but it sprang from a place of real love. Nearly everyone in chris rocks movie seems to agree on a few critical. Director jeff stilsons camera followed the funnyman, and the result is good hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about african american hair culture.
That doesnt mean the movie isnt warm, funny and entertaining. Filmmaker owen alik shahadah explores the tragic legacy of transatlantic slave trade that forced untold millions of africans from their homeland and the unique challenges that have resulted from. Chris rock explores the wonders of africanamerican hairstyles. Were sorry but jwapp doesnt work properly without javascript enabled. He looks at weaves, and he travels to india where tonsure ceremonies produce much of the hair sold in america. An expose of comic proportions that only chris rock could pull off, good. Part trade show, part live competition, the event was instrumental in educating the filmmakers about the. Good hair is a 2009 american documentary film directed by jeff stilson and produced by chris rock productions and hbo films, starring and narrated by. Jun 26, 2010 chris rock is a highly entertaining anchor man for this engaging documentary about africanamericans and the hair industry jason solomons sat 26 jun 2010 19.
Premiering at the sundance film festival on january 18, 2009, good hair had a limited release to theaters in the united states by roadside attractions on october 9, 2009, and opened across the country on october 23. Good hair directed by jeff stilson documentary, comedy pg 1h 36m. Chris rock, the host and narrator, is a likable man, quick, truly curious, with the. It also delves into the big business of the hair industry, as well as the global trade of hair to feed the african american market. Chris rocks good hair doesnt genuinely explore complex. Chris rock, the host and narrator, is a likable man, quick, truly curious, with the gift of encouraging people to speak openly about a subject they usually keep private. It educated me on black culture its about time that films take such an intimate look into the black american. A documentary hosted and narrated by comedian chris rock. This documentary is chris rocks good hair day, an entertaining and provocative celebration of womens rights to feel beautiful in their own skin.
Parents need to know that this chris rock documentary includes some mature themes related to race, femininity, and class. Sometimes, that unknown world may even be occurring right alongside your own. Theres a fair amount of strong language a couple of fks, as well as st, bitch, and the like, conversations about how hair affects sexual relationships, and consumerism mostly hairproduct brands. Good hair chris rock documentary critical media project. Oct 20, 20 a raucous adventure prompted by rocks daughter approaching him and asking, daddy, how come i dont have good hair. Chris rock is a highly entertaining anchor man for this engaging documentary about africanamericans and the hair industry jason solomons sat 26. Some girls have their hair cut off and stolen while they were sleeping or at the movie theatre. Jan 10, 2019 chris rock had a chance to finally answer those mystical questions about black womens hair in a format that wouldnt make anyone too uncomfortable. Good hair 2009 prompted by a question from his young daughter, comic chris rock sets out to explore the importance of hair in black culture.
He visits bronner brothers annual hair convention in atlanta. Good hair premiered at the 2009 sundance film festival and won the special jury prize. He appears onscreen interviewing people he meets on his travels to beauty salons from harlem to dallas. After chris released his documentary, the tyra banks show discussed this same topic, that is good hair what is it, does it exist, is it just a bad label, etc. Back when good hair was first announced, i was elated to see that fellowaquarian chris rock was making a documentary that attempted to do for black womens hair what bill maher did for religion. Comedian chris rock takes you on a hairraising journey through the extreme lengths africanamerican women will go to for good hair. Hair love, a story about a black father who struggles and eventually succeeds in styling his young daughters hair, won the academy award for best animated short film on sunday. Good hair is a 2009 american comedic documentary film produced by chris rock productions and hbo films, starring and narrated by comedian chris rock. May 25, 2011 that is why comedian chris rocks documentary good hair about black womens issues with their hair is sure to spark discussion and debate, no matter what color or race the viewer may be.
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