I loved these characters and the story touched my heart...didn't want it to end. Great casting...thank you

I doubt that many people have seen Colette Burson's "Permanent", but I recommend it. The focus is a girl in 1982 Virginia who wants a perm, but it leads to all sorts of complications in her home life and school life. The movie addresses vanity, or just the general desire to fit in, even at the expense of one's true identity. The characters are developed enough so that we feel for them, even when they do questionable things. I thought that the dad's toupee and moustache made him look like Bruce Campbell. Will any of us EVER be content with just our natural hair?It's not a masterpiece, but a good piece of work. I hope to see more movies from Ms. Burson in the coming years.

How do I put this? This movie is a beautiful movie about hair. The hair that belong to the main character and character surround her are the main problem for this movie. The Main Character (a lovely Kira McLean as Aurelie Dickson) changes her essential nature while attempting to solve the problem about her hair. yes, you are not misread it, the main problem in this movie is actually about Aurelie's hair. funny right? Watch it and laugh with me.We have Aurelie's hair problem, Aurelie's father hair problem, Aurelie's friend hair problem, etc etc.The setting, the plot and the dramatic event around the main character has there to convince her that she doesn't need to concern too much about her hair. it is looks good anyway. And once she accepted that and feels good about herself then the main problem for the movie is solved. She changed herself from hating herself to loving herself: accepting her hair just the way it is.The appearance of Rainn Wilson as Jim Dickson is fabulous and Kaleigh Jo Keller is great as Aurelie's impact character and Nena Daniels as Lydia served as Aurelie's sidekick.I love it. The movie brilliantly solved the problem and message was cleverly conveyed to me as an audience. And some more, as any other movies that I review, it doesn't matter how much budget spent to create a movie, it doesn't matter how complicated the plot or how simple the plot is, the good movie is the movie that always makes you feels good when the ending credit appear. It is always that and it is always will be.

Arquette's hilarious performance leads a cast of unknowns (except Wilson) through 1982, small-town Virginia. The writing is spot on and the characters (many local, untrained actors) are as believable as can be. Nena Daniels, a local, steals every scene she's in. This is not a typical 80s, Hollywood, high school angst movie. There is nothing Hollywood about it and school life is only half the story. The other half is family - your family - no matter how quirky, weird or embarrassing they may be. If you went to middle school or high school during this period - like me - absolutely everything in this film will strike a chord. You will watch it and say, "I knew a kid like that! I had a teacher like that! My parents, my weird neighbor, our kitchen, my school, those eye glasses, those outfits, those horrible hairdos, the local beauty college, the goofy townspeople - I remember that stuff!" *****10 stars for 90 minutes of quirky fun and memories (and 3 minutes of School House Rocks!)*****