Good Hair: Movie Review Example

The title of the film is Good Hair. It is a documentary narrated by Chris Rock. The documentary is about the perspective that people have of good hair. He tries to find out the definition of good hair from society as a whole. He conducts interviews with men and women from different backgrounds. Housewives to celebrities are interviewed as he tries to get to the bottom of their definition of good hair.
This documentary was chosen for research due to the issues that are tackled superficially and deeply. The superficial issue that one might get at first glance is of a father who is trying to get an answer his daughter’s question, which was why she does not have good hair. On the other hand, it goes deeper into exploring the challenges Black – American women undergo simply because of the nature of their hair. This, as indicated by the documentary, begins at a tender age in elementary school and goes on into their adult life into their careers. An unbiased chance to learn about hair and appearance affect social dynamics was expected from this documentary.
The aim of the filmmaker was to produce a documentary shedding light on sensitive hair issues that was both entertaining and contemporary. He interrogates the stakeholders in the hair industry at large. He also captured attitudes, health risks and costs that surround this issue.
The filmmaker used a number of methods to support this point. The main method he employed is interviews. He visited physical structures like beauty salons, barbershops, Indian temples, the black hair show in Atlanta and scientific laboratories. He also interviewed both female and male participants where his questions touched a wide range of issues. These included self-esteem issues, domestic relationships and economic issues that the issue of attaining good hair imposes on the black community. Application of his sense of humour lightens up heavy issues that he asks his participants.
The interviews with celebrities disclose the fact that they use hair products ranging from weaves to relaxers. These products are expensive but they have the means to attain them. Surprising, the regular population, with normal to low income purchase and use the same hair products. They also incur the same costs as these celebrities. The big question is how they afford this and what necessities they sacrifice to beautify their hair.
Another uncovered fact was the fact that the hair the products from this industry mostly target the black women. This is because white women require minimum products for their hair. However, the industries that supply these products to them are Asian based. Although this statement was somewhat insensitive, that was the truth. It was concluded that income earned from the expensive hair products do not go back to the black community; rather, a fraction of the Asian community is made rich.
Some communities seem to be being conned in this industry, the Indians for instance, they cut their hair during a special religious occasions. Overzealous exploitative entrepreneurs then collect the cut hair and sell it in a worldwide market for hair and hair products for their own profit.
Another fact that was pointed out was the issue of health risks associated with attaining good hair. Most women perm their hair to soften it so that it can be styled in any way. The main chemical used in this process is a diluted form of sodium hydroxide. A graphic demonstration of the effects of sodium hydroxide is done in the documentary. Three cans are submerged in a solution of diluted sodium hydroxide for one, three and five hours. The levels of corrosion vary with the amount of time the can is submerged. The can that has been submerged for five hours is completely disintegrated. This is approximately the time taken to relax hair-using perm. This can cause loss of hair and skin corrosion. Children with gentle scalps can face even more serious health implications when such a product is used on them.
The title of the documentary can lead one to think that it is a plain documentary about hair. Contrary to that, a funny and educative documentary points out some painful truths about hair. However, one can easily learn that beauty is always in the eyes of the beholder. However, some women are very sensitive to what the society rates them in terms of beauty and that they can go to great lengths to acquire this beauty. One also learns it is important to live within ones economic means. Putting hair care as a priority in spending is not smart as one needs food and rent more than relaxed hair. At the end of it all, good hair is healthy hair.
In the documentary archival footage is used effectively. In one scene Sandra ‘Pepa’ and Cheryl 'Salt' James discuss how they were burnt by relaxing agents and archival footage of them performing as Salt-N-Pepa is used to show how they covered the burnt side by splitting their hair.
In addition, archival footage and images of Farrah Fawcett are used in the documentary to show what black women look for in good hair.
Natural sound of the factory where relaxer is made is used in the scene where Chris Rock learns the process of making relaxer.
Cutaway shots have been used effectively throughout the movie. There are two scenes where images of Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey appear as the narrator of the documentary explains the importance of hair to black women.
Camera movements and zooming are used in the documentary in interviews. One the most notable interview is the interview with Al Sharpton where the camera zooms closer to his face and hair in order to elaborate the point being driven across by Al Sharpton.
Camera movements for example, panning and zooming are also used in the scene where Chris Rock learns from Dudley Products how to make relaxer.