Review of Shampoo (1975) by Josh S — 13 Feb 2009

Superbly smart and funny. Robert Towne wrote a brilliant script and Hal Ashby directed it with such poignancy and humour. Both tragic and nostalgic. Sad, yet hilarious. Beatty represents the naivete, lost innocence and sexual freedom of the 60s, Jack Warden represents the bureaucracy and consumerist generation of the 80s, while Julie Christie's character represents the selling out of the 70s.

This is a film that spends 24 hrs with a few flawed characters, while symbolizing a huge change in the American public. At the same time it never loses sight of the brilliant comedy of throwing characters together in uncomfortable situations.