Hey, Mansome

Hey, Mansome
by AnneLise Sorensen

“Super Size Me” director Morgan Spurlock turns his attention from McDonald’s to mustaches in the new documentary “Mansome,” which explores men’s grooming, from manicures to manscaping.

What does it mean to be a man? That’s the central question – esoteric but earnest – in the film. The second question of this fluff-doc could be: How many laughs can you wring out of the topic of facial hair?

The first manswer: It depends. The second: A lot, actually. Especially with a cast that includes Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, who loll around in white bathrobes at the spa, alternately fetishizing and mocking the ritual; and the pudgy Zach Galifianakis, mumbling through his ginger beard.

The film veers too often into hardee-har-har territory, trotting out the man-as-overgrown-teenager jokes, but Spurlock’s deft guidance (and genuine personal journey – he shaves off his trademark beard) keeps the film afloat.

In the end, it’s John Waters, perhaps the least traditional male on the planet, who best defines manhood. With arch elegance and a hint of camp – and a mustache so thin that it looks drawn on with kohl eyeliner – Waters proves that it’s not the facial hair that matters, but the man wearing it.

This article by AnneLise Sorensen originally published on MSN (Microsoft Network).