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Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.
All Critics (32) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (12) | DVD (4)
In "Shampoo" Ashby shows that he has a good memory for a couple of decades of cinematic clichés.
There's a self-awareness to Shampoo that gives the movie a cleansing sadness and, oddly, makes Beatty an affectingly amoral roue.
Shampoo, made in 1975 but set in 1968, the night before Richard Nixon's election to the presidency, was directed by Hal Ashby and written by Robert Towne and Warren Beatty, who may have produced one of the best scripts in the last three decades.
All the excellent creative components do not add up to a whole.
The laughs are tempered by bleakness and the film ends up saddened by its characters' waywardness.
Disappointment comes in all weights and flavors, but the brand that's generated by Hal Ashby's Shampoo is a bit harder to swallow than some.
A savage satire that sets its sights on hypocrisy, superficiality, and sexual mores.
An immensely-successful film whose vein of strong black humour disguises its criticisms of American morals and society.
Once you leave the theater, you become hard-pressed to remember much about this film.
I didn't care much for the trim this satire on a girl crazy Beverly Hills hairdresser gave me.
Kitsch, stylish and a little on the empty side, Shampoo is mirror image of the decade that spawned it.
Beatty mercilessly lampoons his own offscreen image in a bumptious comedy of manners that turns persuasively sombre at the end.
Taking place on the eve of Richard Nixon's taking of the presidency, but released in the aftermath of Watergate, this film provides a nice commentary about the Nixon years, made more potent by the fact that the audience (but not the characters) are aware of how things would turn out with Nixon. This isn't a film about presidential politics though. Rather, it is about sexual ploitics. I just mentioned all of the above since the film places things within a certain context, which also gives more weight and depth to the satire it is presenting about what was going on at the time. SImply put, if one wanted a historically rooted film that commented on the sexual revolution, this would be one to watch. Warren Beatty plays George- a successful hairdresser on the verge of financial ruin who gets in way over his head when the man who might loan him some money just happens to be with an ex of his, as well as the father and husband of two other woman (among others) that he is sleeping around with. This makes for both some fun satirical laughs, as well as some poignant drama that ties in with the death of 60s idealism and the terrible hangover that hits when the party ends. Robert Towne (who also wrote Chinatown) penned the script, and apparently Beatty had a hand of some sort in the writing process as well. Hal Ashby directs, and it is one of several 1970s masterpieces he was responsible for helming. I really like that guy, and it is good to see thast others are starting to feel the same way (on a broader scale). Beatty and the rest of the cast (including a young Carrie FIsher) are all excellent, and somehow, we actually sympathize with some of these characters, and kind of care for them, even if we really shouldn't. Give this one a watch. It's a great film with a strong ending, and a great look at the times it both portrays and came about during.
Super Reviewer
Although there are a lot of outrageous scenes, they aren't as funny as they think they are. The story isn't all that interesting either, but it does have a good cast.
A great film. The more and more I see his films, Hal Ashby is becoming one of my favorite directors. This is another example of how great of a director he is. Of course, Warren Beatty is basically playing himself as a hairstylist and giving him an excuse to bang Julie Christie (how amazing does she look in this film) on screen and in front of a crew. The best performances to me were Goldie Hawn and Jack Warden who steals the show. Beautiful cinematography, great writing, and a great cast. It's a shame to watch these movies and know that it may never be like that decade of greatness ever again.
Pouffy little sex comedy aspires to be something more. Beatty is funny in his self-absorbed confusion. Actually everone is. Julie Christie is spot on as the kept woman - but the other characters are not as well written. Shampoo is the Paul's Boutique of soundtracks - no way you could get all those great tunes in one movie today. Trivia: Beatty's character loosely based on Hollywood stylist Jay Sebring who was killed in the Manson murders. Lee Grant somehow bagged a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance. Fourth highest grossing film of 1975. Geeks: Carrie Fisher with baby fat and a potty mouth. But no action-figures!
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