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BARBERSHOP Send This Review to a Friend
The old-fashioned barbershop has been known as an institution that provides a place for neighborhood types to congregate and happily shoot the breeze as well as get haircuts. This particular barbershop, located in Chicago, is run by an African-American named Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube), who has inherited it from his father. But Calvin is hard pressed for cash as a result of failed moneymaking ideas, and he is pressured to sell the place, which would leave a lot of his pals feeling unhappy and betrayed.
The story is pretty corny, as are the various plot machinations, but there's ample built-in charm, thanks to the assortment of characters, the performances and the bright dialogue in the script by Mark Brown, Don D. Scott and Marshall Todd based on a story by Brown. Tim Story, who directs, makes the most out of the various types and their patter.
My favorite character is the opinionated Eddie, played by the talented Cedric the Entertainer, who makes him very, very funny. Eddie is the sort who will say outrageous things just to annoy everyone, and he spouts plenty of subversion as he attacks sacred black community pillars like Reverend Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. He gets everyone's dander up, and Cedric the Entertainer is a delight in the role. This aspect of the film has evoked some objections, but the irreverent humor is refreshing and Eddie gets slapped down by everyone for his deliberately provocative outbursts.
Rest assured that this is a rosy tale in which everything comes out just fine in the end despite the dramatic ups and downs in getting there. An MGM release.
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