1523 - Good Hair

 I've been interested in this film ever since I saw the trailer.  The deconstruction of something so mundane by someone as entertaining as Chris Rock was certainly worth checking out.  I am by no means an expert on black culture - far far from it - so I found this quite interesting.  I knew that women did these things to their hair - but I had absolutely no idea the extent of it.  It's really quite something.  I like the way that Rock attacks it through the guise of his children, and what he should tell them when the time comes, and his conclusion works - even if it doesn't really conclude anything.  The entire documentary is framed around a hair competition and I actually found that to be the least interesting sections.
I'm a low maintenance guy so I just can't imagine having to deal with what some of the people in this film do on a regular (if not daily) basis.  The sad truth is, like one of the interview subjects mentions, that a black woman is seen as a radical if she keeps her hair natural as opposed to having is chemically straightened and/or adding a weave.  There is a scene where Rock is talking to high school students and one has a really cute afro, and the other acknowledge that it looks nice on her - but they all agree that no one will take her serious in the future if she keeps it.  The girl doesn't reply, but she looks hurt.  Another three year old is interviewed and Rock asks her if he should get his daughter's hair straightened, without a hesitation she says yes.  When he asks why she simply says, "Because that's what you do."
Out of the mouth of babes.
Another interesting factor being that the billion dollar industry that is the hair market for black women is mostly profited by Caucasian and Asians. 
So this is an interesting film - I doubt it will change anything.  But worth checking out.
Good Hair  Good Hair [Blu-ray]