BLOW DRY

UK, 2001, 91 minutes, Colour.
Alan Rickman, Natasha Richardson, Rachel Griffiths, Rachel Leigh Cook, Josh Hartnett, Bill Nighy, Warren Clarke, Rosemary Harris, Hugh Bonneville, Heidi Klum, Peter Mc Donald, David Bradley.
Directed by Paddy Breathnach.

Blow Dry is an entertaining Yorkshire comedy in the vein of The Full Monty – and both were written by Simon Beaufoy. This film was directed by Irishman Paddy Breathnach (I Went Down) who brings an entertainingly wry perspective to the story of a hairdressing competition.

The setting is the town of Keighley in Yorkshire. They win the rights to host the 2000 British Hairdressers’ Competition. There is difficulty for the locals. The main hairdresser, played by Alan Rickman, lost his wife, Natasha Richardson, to his main model, Rachel Griffiths, ten years earlier. She left their son Brian, Josh Hartnett, with his father. They have managed ever since – although not communicating.

The main rival is Ray Robertson, played with a variation on his eccentricity by Bill Nighy. He has an American daughter, Rachel Leigh Cooke, a camp assistant, Hugh Bonneville, and is intent on winning the competition – and is not unhappy to resort to cheating. Peter McDonald? (who was the star of Breathnach’s I Went Down) is an eccentric barber from London. Heidi Klum is the model. Rounding out the starry cast is Rosemary Harris as an elderly woman who plays a pivotal role in the final competition and the victory for the locals. Warren Clarke is the beleaguered mayor of Keighley – but, happily, the competition rouses more and more interest in the town and is a great success.

There is a great deal of humour in presenting the various hairdressers and their eccentricities and mannerisms. Underlying the film is a more serious story with Natasha Richardson diagnosed with terminal cancer, unable to tell her partner, wanting to reconcile with her husband and son.

The film works on a light vein – though, it was not as popular as Beaufoy’s The Full Monty. However, it fits into a series of films, including Brassed Off, which highlight life in Yorkshire, ordinary people, their hopes and aspirations.

1. An entertaining film about hairdressers? Competition? In a Yorkshire setting?

2. The town of Keighley, the moors, the hills, the buildings, the homes, the shops? Authentic atmosphere? The local enthusiasm for Keighley? The mayor, the speeches, the public coming to the competition, the newspapers?

3. The hairdressing setting – and the visuals of all the work, the hairstyles, the competition? Clothes?

4. The background story of Shelley, her cancer, discussion with the doctor? Her not telling the truth to Sandra? Her eventually telling it to Phil and Brian? The background of her marriage, her running away with Sandra, their ten years together? Not talking with Phil? The meetings with Brian? Her wanting to go into the competition? Something to do before she died? The reconciliation? Seeing her with her wigs, without? The confrontation with Phil and Brian? Sandra discovering the truth and her being upset? Persuading them to go into the competition, the support? The discussions with Phil, her love for Phil? His finally agreeing to go into the competition, with Brian, giving support? Her happiness at the end?

5. Phil, stern, his work as a barber? His love for Shelley, her running away, not talking with her? Bringing up Brian, his working in the barbershop? His preparations for the competition, Sandra running away, his being defeated by Ray? The rivalry between the two? His skills? Brian wanting to go into the competition? His refusal? His slight mellowing, Brian succeeding? His realisation of Ray’s cheating, the family spying on Ray and his tinting his daughter’s hair? Phil and his taking the number from the model, Ray and his getting someone else to tint?

6. Sandra, model for Phil, running away, in love with Shelley? Their living together? The ten years? Her discovering the truth? Her being upset, on the hill, talking with Phil, his asking her to join the competition? Her various costumes for Total Look? The final competition, winning the Total Look?

7. Brian, love for his mother, working with his father? Wanting to go into the competition? The meeting with Christina, memories of the past? The challenge to confront Ray? His working with the hairstyling? The issue of the combs all melting? His meeting with Christina, discussions, his father’s anger? Seeing Christina tinting the hair, collaborating or cheating? His urging the competition, discovering his mother’s illness? Christina and her haircut, the reconciliation? Getting his mother to come to the competition? The happy ending?

8. Ray, Bill Nighy’s eccentricity, relationship with Louis, their appearance, hair, clothes, manner? With Christina, her mother in America? His winning championships, his cheating with the combs? His wanting the hotel room, the men from Birmingham getting it? Going to the farmhouse? His winning the first round? The cheating with the tinting? Not getting the model that he expected? Losing in the next round? His plan for the Total Look, his upset with Christina cutting her hair? His losing?

9. Christina, relationship with her father, her work in America, meeting Brian, falling in love, the tinting, Brian attacking her? With the farmer, apologising for practising on the corpses for tinting the hair? Colouring the sheep for identity? Cutting her own hair? The happy ending?

10. Daisy, at the institution, blindness, the robust discussions with Shelley, about death and preparing? The clash with Shelley, encouraging her to be strong, Daisy and her being the model for the 18th century pompadour? Winning?

11. Louis, relationship with Ray, appearance, hair, cheating, the men’s haircut, dismay at losing?

12. Vincent and Robert, their own hairstyles, coming from London, Jasmine as their model? Her getting Vincent to dye her? Robert’s upset? Jasmine and the Total Look – and Robert setting it on fire?

13. The hairdressers from Birmingham, black, their style, competitiveness?

14. The other hairdressers, the style of the competition, inventiveness?

15. Noah, his son, the farm, the dead body, Brian and Christina and the practice with their hair? The colouring of the sheep?

16. Tony, the mayor of Keighley, the dull press conference, his enthusiasm, the few people at the competition, the increasing competitiveness, the happy ending – and his final song during the credits?