Synopsis
In 1989, an ambitious young woman gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career may come at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
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Cast
- Elle LorraineAnna Bludso
- Jay PharoahJulius
- Lena WaitheBrook-Lynne
- Kelly RowlandSandra
- Vanessa WilliamsZora
- Laverne CoxVirgie
- Chanté AdamsLinda Bludso
- Blair UnderwoodAmos Bludso
- James Van Der BeekGrant Madison
- UsherGermane D.
Recommendations
- 90
Slashfilm
Part Brian De Palma flick, part Invasion of the Body Snatchers, part Dracula, and part Stepford Wives, Bad Hair filters its influences through Simien’s hyper-specific passions and unique sensibilities to become a singular horror comedy from a singular filmmaker. - 80
Variety
Costume designer Ceci’s ensembles and Scott Kuzio’s production design are spot-on. Just as impressive is Simien’s steady handle on his serio-comic tone, at once sly, resonant, and horrific. - 75
The Playlist
Simien’s strengths come to the forefront once again and that’s what makes it so difficult to pinpoint why the final product doesn’t exactly gel together as it should. - 70
Screen Daily
Though it’s all a bit ridiculous—and Simien, in certain instances, acknowledges the humour in his horror—the film is anchored by Elle Lorraine’s breakout performance. - 70
TheWrap
The movie is front-loaded with exposition, but once the action gets going and the narrative pieces fall into place, “Bad Hair” is a creepy movie with thoughtful political twists and thrilling supernatural turns. - 67
The A.V. Club
The impression is of a provocative logline that Simien never quite figured out how to expand into a satisfying movie; once you get the thrust of the story, it’s mostly repetitions on a theme. - 67
Entertainment Weekly
You sense Simien’s pushing into uncharted territory. Yet his distinctive gifts as a director are increasingly relegated to the margins, propelling a narrative that works better in theory than execution. - 60
The Hollywood Reporter
There's definitely a tighter, more disciplined movie trapped in here begging for a more rigorous edit. Like a head full of split ends, it needs trimming.
