Good Hair

The indelible impression one takes away from Chris Rock’s exploration of the world of Black haircare is not the undeniable and overwhelming unfairness of the thing—it’s the relatively high spirits that everyone interviewed in the film has about the matter. And don’t make any mistake: Black people drew a very short straw when it comes to the nature of their hair, both in texture, appearance, and in just how much effort and money goes into making it acceptable, not just to themselves but to the wider world as well. And yet, Rock’s cast of interviewees, from Black female celebrities to top-end stylists to the common man and woman in the barber shop or salon, all seem to accept the fact of their lot in life with the kind of aplomb that one would never see from the average suburban white woman, who often shrieks bloody murder at the mildest inconvenience. You have to admire their resilience, and experiencing that is what makes watching this niche presentation accessible and entertaining for even the least-coiffed among us. Questionable hair, maybe, but good work for sure.