Liz Mermin

After the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, many Western aid organizations moved in to help repair the war-torn country. Amidst the more traditional efforts of food and supplies, one relief attempt stood out — a team of American cosmetologists, sponsored by beauty-product manufacturers, attempted to open the first Western-style beauty school since the rule of the Taliban. With energy and enthusiasm they work to teach Afghani women the trade and give them a new way of looking at themselves and others. The culture clash that ensues isn't surprising, but Mermin is never content to let the movie rest on the obvious. Waves of American (and Australian) teachers that pass through are as changed by the experience as the students and our assumptions about the effort are constantly confounded. The movie is full of laughs and vitality, but it's also, in the end, a surprisingly nuanced look at a new era of Western global influence.… (more)