- Actors: Alan Rickman, Natasha Richardson, Rachel Griffiths, Rachael Leigh Cook, Josh Hartnett
- Directors: Paddy Breathnach
- Writers: Simon Beaufoy
- Producers: Chris Sievernich, David Brown, David Rubin, Guy East, Julie Goldstein
- Format: PAL
- Language English
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Disney
- DVD Release Date: 4 Feb 2002
- Run Time: 94 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00005U1XM
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 29,900 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
Despite a gifted Anglo-American cast, Blow Dry strikes an uneasy balance between sentiment and camp. It aims for the same sort of high-wire act that Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert pulled off so effortlessly, but melodrama wins the day. The comic moments are suitably over the top (as expected in a film about duelling hairdressers), but rarely as amusing as intended. The relationships between barbershop owner Phil (Alan Rickman), ex-wife Shelley (Natasha Richardson) and Sandra (Rachel Griffiths), "the other woman", could be more fully developed but are affecting nonetheless. The setting is West Yorkshire. The event that brings them together is the British National Hairdressing Championships. Phil initially resists the urge to compete as it reminds him of the success he and Shelley once enjoyed, but his son Brian (Josh Hartnett) convinces him to give it a go. Hartnett and Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That), as the daughter of Phil's old nemesis, seem like peculiar casting choices for a British film, but Hartnett's accent is passable (Cook plays an American) and they don't embarrass themselves as much as supermodel Heidi Klum, who plays a tacky, two-timing hair model. The screenplay is by Simon Beaufoy of Full Monty fame. Although not up to that standard--and certainly no match for Shampoo (the greatest hairdressing movie of all time)--Blow Dry is still a good showcase for the talents of its three leads. --Kathleen C Fennessy
On The DVD: Blow Dry's on disc anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen transfer holds a great spectrum or colour. A film about hairdressing needs to faithfully recreate the lavish, over-the-top barnets in all their glorious Technicolor detail and luckily the result is a rich and detailed film with excellent colour saturation throughout. In terms of extras, the film is pretty much left to speak for itself. A blink and you’ll miss it "making of" documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew and an eclectic collection of trailers for such other comedies as She's All That and Muriel's Wedding are all that you get to while away the post feature presentation minutes. –-Kristen Bowditch
DVD Description
DVD Special Feature:
"Behind the Scenes" featurette.
"Behind the Scenes" featurette.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I don't suppose you can really have a film that features Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Natasha Richardson and Warren Clarke and yet turns out to be total twaddle, but take a novel idea and let these; some of the finest British actors, run away with it and you have something really unique on your hands.
A real mixture of over the top campness and complete pantomime this could have easily turned out to be a total farce but yet it somehow manages to combine the extreme showbiz with heart warming moments and pull it off with aplomb.
Mind you, you do have to question the choice of Josh Hartnett as the handsome young man interest, nothing against him as an actor and the less said about the accent the better, but couldn't they have found a young British actor instead?
Keep a look out for Peter Kay also in one of the crowd scenes.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was dubious about the film but I've now watched it twice and still found it funny second time round. The added bonus is that it's set in Keighley - not far from me - and the actors all have broad Yorkshire accents. Coming from Josh Hartnett, a Yank, it's hilarious but he does a superb job of it; and Alan Rickman sounds almost as good! The story is actually quite profound - if you see past all the hairdressing and focus on the human aspects, the family aspects, the relationships and how potential tragedy can bring out the best in people, it's fantastic. The highlight for me was the tattoo on the sole of Rickman's foot!! It's original comedy and great drama combined. I'm glad I've got it.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
What a marvellous piece of escapism for a Saturday afternoon! A good mix of comedy and tragedy keeps this film from being too sickly; the illness of one character is handled realistically, yet the film does not dwell on this. The setting is superb, as is most of the cast; with the possible exception of Josh Hartnett (never really got the hang of the old Yorkshire accent, but tried valiantly anyway!)there is nevertheless a knockout combination of "male cameo" (Warren Clarke in excellent form), "the Baddy" (Bill Nighy casting evil glares in every direction) and the "reluctant hero" (Alan Rickman at a dour best). The female characters support rather than lead, but on the whole do it very well; my only complaint was Cook's rather yawn-inducing screen presence. All in all, a really enjoyable "watch-again" film!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
ITS CHAMPION.
Marvellous film, a very English comedy, in beautiful colour, set in the rather lovely town of Keighley, Yorkshire, in the wild lands of the north. Read more
Published 1 month ago by DOGBERRY
Touching and funny
Judging by the cover one can expect another teen comedy. But don't let you mislead.
"Blow dry" is an excellent movie that combine drama and comedy. Read more
"Blow dry" is an excellent movie that combine drama and comedy. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Pitbulltje
Quirky
I didn't expect too much from this film, but I found that I really enjoyed it. Rachel Griffith and a young Josh Hartnett do an excellent job of their English Accents which was... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Arthur Johnson
Very funny
Keighley is the site of the British Hairdressing Championship and the whole town is aflutter with the arrival of the country's top stylists including Ray Robertson (Bill Nighy). Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2010 by Kona
Blow Dry comedy/drama
This film is excellent entertainment with humour, sadness, pathos, and a great story line. I really enjoyed it and the cast of excellent actors did a brilliant job. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2009 by J. Hammond
Unintentionally hilarious
Worth the price for Josh Hartnett's Yorkshire accent alone. It transforms a mildy amusing comedy into a hilarious cult classic for all the wrong reasons
Published on 12 Jan 2009 by Bobby Bumgravy
Quirky RomCom
if you do not appreciate the cheesiness of some romcom's then this will come as a refreshing change. Read more
Published on 28 July 2007 by 01gnu
Great fun
I thought Blow Dry was a really good film but then I am biased towards a member of the cast so would probably have found it fantastic if it was the worst thing I'd ever seen. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2003
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