From the title alone, I figured this documentary would be a lighthearted take on the odd phenomenon of the combover. What I didn't expect was that the filmmakers would choose to spice it up with "ambush journalism" tactics that are much more mean-spirited than the subject warrants. There are many scenes of director/writer Marino stalking men on the street, aiming his camera down at their combovers before even asking for their consent to be interviewed. When he gets a hostile response (a frequent occurrence which doesn't surprise me at all), he walks away cackling. Clearly this guy enjoys embarrassing strangers - I'm glad he didn't choose acne or obesity as his subject matter.
Anybody with a conscience will cringe at these moments of cruelty. As goofy-looking as combovers can be, this is still a touchy subject of male self-esteem and midlife insecurity. The documentary is redeemed somewhat by thoughtful commentary from academics, barbers and other cooperating interview subjects. Especially engaging are interviews with a few good-natured combover-ers who are surprisingly willing to talk about their odd hairstyles. These guys show a basic decency and humility that the filmmakers sorely lacked.