Commentary – Good Hair

Although the box office hasn’t been too kind to Chris Rock’s Good Hair, I think he should stick to this light documentary style, rather than those atrocious, bad sitcomish movies he’s made over the years (I Think I Love My Wife, Head of State, Down To Earth).

I talked to some women after the film, who felt he didn’t go in depth enough about black women who do wear their hair natural. I also agree with another reviewer who said he didn’t touch on the popular trend of lace wigs. And Rock’s tone was one of, I don’t want to see my young daughters fall pray to the evils of hair, but at the same time, conveniently, his wife is left out of the documentary.

But that’s enough about what’s not there; what is there is funny, truthful, relatable, and most importantly, entertaining. Those Bronner Brothers stageshow contestants! – You can’t make up characters like this!

My sister and I often talk about the sad fact that we give so much of our earned income to the Asian community. It really is a crime that I’ve never been into a black owned hair store, and I’m almost as hair crazy as Nia Long, Raven Simone and that Video Vixen, interviewed in the film. Another not so humorous moment, is Rev Al Sharpton’s commentary on how is it that we don’t profit from what only we use?

It also made an impact on me, when I learned that women in India shave off all their hair, down to the scalp, in sacrifice, where I constantly rail at God for not giving me “good hair”. I don’t think it’s a matter of wanting to look or be white. I love the beautiful tones of my warm brown skin, I love that my butt fills out a pair of jeans, that I look 10 years younger than I am and that my lips are perfection without collagen. But having been born in the United States, you can not help but develop a collective sense of glamour, and face it, your hairstyle completes the package. So whether you have to sew it, buy it, dye it, charge it, it’s worth it!

[Director: Jeff Stilson] [Writers: Lance Crouther ,Paul Marchand, Chris Rock, Chuck Sklar and Jeff Stilson ]

Rating: Pretty Index Toe

Footnote: The plagiarism lawsuit against Rock was dropped. Click HERE for story.