Faith Salie interviews GOOD HAIR writer/producer Chris Rock, comedian/actress Sarah Jones, and executive producer Nelson George in the Sundance Channel Studio.
GOOD HAIR
DIRECTOR: Jeff Stilson
SCREENWRITERS: Chris Rock, Jeff Stilson,
Lance Crouther, Chuck Sklar
U.S.A., 2009, 95 min., color
When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl’s head! Director Jeff Stilson’s camera followed the funnyman, and the result is GOOD HAIR, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African-American hair culture.
An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question.
What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.—SHARI FRILOT
January 26th, 2009 - 1:24 am
Looks like a great doc!
I taught kindergarten many years ago and noticed young girls becoming increasingly self conscious and obsessed with their appearance. 5 year old girls.
America Media/culture breeds self-loathing in women.
As Anita Roddick says, it was a phenomenal strategy to use marketing to get women obsessed with their bodies, to consume the billions of dollars of cosmetics & such..
You Rock Chris!
Carolyn Scott
Executive Director
ReelGreen
January 27th, 2009 - 8:01 am
Very interesting looking documentary,
I’ve always hated the term “good hair” because it makes it sound like if you don’t have it your hair is bad, it can’t be bad.
I look forward to watching the documentary
January 28th, 2009 - 10:00 am
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February 2nd, 2009 - 6:12 pm
I have a 5 year old daughter who wears her hair natural in a classroom amongst many other girls who have relaxers. She comes from school saying that she wants to wear her hair straight and down. I think for her age group is this inappropriate. Thank you so much Chris for making us aware of the images our daughters see and hear constantly that tells them they are not good enough. Its important for us to instill in them a sense of pride that says no matter your hair, size, shape, or color, you are beautiful and you have purpose.
March 7th, 2009 - 5:44 pm
I would like to know when or if the “Good Hair” documentary will air on Sundance? This is such a crucial subject for discussion at this juncture in our history. Thanks Sundance for giving credence to this topic. Thanks and others for giving their talent to such a noteworthy subject.