First Hit: Although not necessarily a well filmed or a cohesive documentary, it was very informative and definitely shed light on black women’s hair.
Chris Rock isn’t an effective documentary interviewer and at times the questions were more about making either a joke or a blatant impactful statement lacking thoughtfulness.
However, his being unafraid to ask point blank questions; like when he asked Maya Angelou about the her first time to use a “relaxer” was something the audience wanted to know and is the kind of questioning which propelled this film.
There is a multi-billion dollar industry for black hair products and services that I didn't know existed. People spending $1,000 - $3,500 for weaves when they may be only making a teacher’s salary was almost jaw dropping. The harsh chemicals to straighten hair can be and are dangerous but they're sold by the case load.
To learn how much time and effort women spend on their hair which cannot be touched was amazing. The scenes which discuss this and the look in the men’s eyes when they were asked if they ever touch their woman’s hair were insightful as well as hilarious.
Al Sharpton talked extensively about the importance of hair care and how James Brown took him under his wing in this department. The interview segments with Ice-T were direct, funny, and to the point about the impact of hair care in the black woman’s world.
The event which is the center point of the film is the annual Bronner Bros. Hair Show in Atlanta Georgia and the hair styling contest that makes this event the apex of black hair care. Rock interviews the contestants and we see each of their performances.
Rock isn’t the best in-depth interviewer but he has the wherewithal to ask hard and direct questions and because Rock is a comedian, we get a large number of laughs in along the way.
Overall: Not a great documentary, but a very interesting and eye opening look into another world – black hair care.