Blow Dry (2001)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Paddy Breathnach

Writer:

Simon Beaufoy (writer)

Release Date:

30 March 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Love Is In The Hair

Plot:

The annual British Hairdressing Championship comes to Keighley, a town where Phil and son Brian run...

Plot Keywords:

Competition | Champion | Cancer | Mirror | Red Dress

Cast

Alan Rickman	...	Phil Allen
Natasha Richardson	...	Shelley Allen
Rachel Griffiths	...	Sandra
Rachael Leigh Cook	...	Christina Robertson
Josh Hartnett	...	Brian Allen
Bill Nighy	...	Ray (Raymond) Robertson
Warren Clarke	...	Tony
Rosemary Harris	...	Daisy
Hugh Bonneville	...	Louis
Heidi Klum	...	Jasmine
Peter McDonald	...	Vincent
Michael McElhatton	...	Robert
David Bradley	...	Noah
Ben Crompton	...	Saul
Ann Rye	...	Margaret, Farmer's Wife

Also Known As:

Über kurz oder lang (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:S | Malaysia:U | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:6 | Norway:A | Philippines:PG-13 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Batley, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. Produktions KG

Trivia:

At one point in the movie, Ray tells Christina that she isn't in Minneapolis anymore. Rachael Leigh Cook, who plays Christina, is a native of Minneapolis.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the movie, we are told that Shelley and Sandra left Phil ten years ago, when Phil was in line for his third straight national championship. The current competition is Hair 2000 (and is sometimes called the championships of the year 2000, to confirm that isn't "just" a name). Yet when his honors are announced near the end of the movie, we are told he was national champion in 1981 and 1982. For this to be true, Shelley and Sandra must have walked out on him 17 years ago.

Quotes:

Phil Allen: A beauty is that Shelley, a beauty.

Movie Connections:

References Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Soundtrack:

Couldn't Get It Right

the ladies steal the show

So it's a comedy about hairdressing. In truth, the hairdressing provides little more than colour commentary (pun intended), because it's the relationships that take first stage, and they take it really well. Alan Rickman is good, sincere and has depth, Josh Hartnett has an okay delivery ruined by his trying-too-hard faux Yorkshire accent, and Bill Nighy is Bill Nighy, you'll always get a few laughs from him, but the real stars are Rachel Griffiths and Natasha Richardson. Griffiths, in particular, is splendid, going from funny to poignantly hurt to deep, deep love without skipping a beat. Richardson also makes a strong impression, and you can feel the pain in her as the film goes. Oh well... It's a fun film, but it's also a good film.