User Reviews

This movie is about Anna, an "executive assistant" at a Black music video channel owned by a giant corporation. (Think MTV and Viacom.). After four years as an EA, soaking up all the wisdom her boss, Edna, is willing part with, Edna gets fired. The suits bring in a new executive to turn things around, Zora. She's the ONLY fair-skinned employee in the office. Zora is willing to give Anna a shot at producing her own show. There's just one small condition: Anna, who normally wore her hair in natural styles, would have to get a weave.

I am a huge fan of Dear White People, Justin Simien's thoughtful, funny, sometimes tragic examination of what it's like to be a Black student in an overwhelmingly white Ivy League-type of university. Here in Bad Hair, Simien asks the question: What are Black women willing to do to advance in the white business world? According to this movie, too many Black women sell their souls to be palatable to white bosses. The topic is very timely. While this movie is an allegory, there really is an "awakening" around Black culture, history, struggle-especially as they relate to Black women. As in Dear White People, writer/director Simien knows Black women's voices. He knows that, although set in the 1990s, appearance was everything. And if a Black woman wears natural hair, she's often seen as unprofessional by white co-workers and superiors alike. This same struggle is taking place even in 2021.

This is not a great movie, but it's a really good movie. I'm not sure those without kinky hair and darker hues will be able to grasp the cultural significance Black people place on hair, but they should give this film a shot. I laughed a lot, and I'm not someone who likes comedy in general because it often isn't smart or funny. Bad Hair is both! What's a measly hour and 42 or so minutes?

I enjoyed the concept of the movie and if you watch it with the intent to decipher it's message rather than for pure entertainment then I think you would find that it does a great job at depicting in an uncanny way the introduction of human hair weave into a particular culture. The main character like many of the others is convinced that something as harmless as hair could catapult careers on to the right path to success while putting their own unique and natural essence in the backseat. However it's not an equal trade off and more costly than they could imagine.

I really wanted to love this movie. I love social horror and I think its very important that those stories are told. Horror is often told through the perspective of a "it couldn't happen here" vibe, but expressing that horror affects everybody, not just kids and rich folks in the suburbs is important. I think its fine overall. If it were like a Tales from the Crypt episode or a Twilight Zone episode, I would think it was great. As a movie, its uneven. The first half is great. The second half gets messy.

PROS I loved the main character Anna. I thought she was beautiful and she commanded the screen. Perms are no joke. The natural hair movement is crucial. I felt for her character trying to fit in. I've felt the same way. The whole idea of wanting to be yourself and express yourself freely but people trying to mold you and shape you into being something you aren't for the sake of getting ahead. I loved that element. You really feel for her. I liked the 80s-early 90s setting of the film. I liked the characters. I really like Lena Waithe. The scene where Laverne Cox does her hair..SHEEEEESH. That was tough. Best scene in the movie.

CONS The second half? The backstory? The origin? The message? What really happened? All of it, just seemed rushed. The special effects even take a step down. It really wasn't even necessary.

Final Verdict Check it out if you want. Its not much to do otherwise. I wish it was more complete. I'm excited for Justin Simeon's future work. I think he is talented and he will get better with each film. Keep winning.