‘Barbershop’ tells heartfelt tale of people hanging out
The heartfelt fun of watching the PG-13 picture comes from the way it celebrates the importance of people having a place to hang out, speak their minds and listen to others. That may be dismissed as a simple joy by some folks, but in this modern world of cookie-cutter shopping centers, remote housing developments and lack of interaction between neighbors, a down-to-earth place like the “Barbershop” seems more valuable than a string of beachfront properties in Malibu. In the story, Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube of “Ghosts of Mars”), the young owner of Calvin’s Barbershop, which was started by his family four decades ago, considers selling the struggling business to a loan shark (Keith David of “They Live”) who plans to turn it into a cash-generating gentleman’s club. Immediately after accepting the deal, Calvin begins having second thoughts, even though the money would immediately allow him to get out of debt and pay the back taxes on the property.
The owner’s reluctance to relinquish the place takes on added urgency when he finally begins to realize how important the meeting place – referred to as the “cornerstone of the neighborhood” – is to the people who work and visit there.
“Barbershop” succeeds as a feel-good picture simply because rapper-turned-director Tim Story (“The Firing Squad”) recognized that the characters make people care about the plot and hired a gifted ensemble cast to bring them to life. Those talented cast members include: Sean Patrick Thomas (“Save the Last Dance”) as an educated barber with a snobbish attitude; Anthony Anderson (“Exit Wounds”) as a local thief poorly prepared for a life of crime; scene-stealing Cedric the Entertainer (“The Kings of Comedy”) as a veteran haircut specialist with street wisdom; and debuting singer-turned-actress Eve as a beautiful stylist dealing with her boyfriend’s roving eye.
In “Barbershop,” talk isn’t cheap. It’s rich in feelings and should make viewers wish that they had such a place that invites visitors to just kick back, enjoy lively conversation, experience some good vibrations, give their opinions and – perhaps even more importantly – listen to the thoughts, dreams and viewpoints of others.
FILM REVIEW
“Barbershop”
Grade: B
Starring: Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve and Cedric the Entertainer; screenplay by Mark Brown, Don D. Scott and Marshall Todd; produced by Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr. and Mark Brown; directed by Tim Story.
Running Time: 102 minutes.
Parental Guide: PG-13 rating (profanity, sexual innuendo, brief drug references).
Web site: www.mgm.com