Rating: 
Summary: Is Barbershop the film that defeats political correctness?
Review: This movie is a highly entertaining story about hard working individuals attempting to earn their way in today's multicultural and ethnically diverse America. Racism still exists but this evil has lost much of its bite. One must still get up in the morning and meet the challenges of the day. The world doesn't owe you anything and everything must be earned. These people do not primarily see themselves as victims and readily admit that many of their troubles are self inflicted. Calvin (brilliantly played by Ice Cube) wishes to get out of his late father's barbershop business. He fails to comprehend that it still serves a valuable purpose in the neighborhood. Calvin's employees and customers at least tacitly perceive the barbershop as something of a Burkean mediating structure that binds them together. The plot revolves around Calvin's foolish decision that puts this community institution in serious jeopardy. Will everything work out at the end, or is the barbershop doomed? Barbershop may also very well go down in history as the film that broke the back of political correctness. The character Eddie portrayed by Cedric the Entertainer makes fun of the Liberal icons Rodney King, OJ Simpson, Jesse Jackson, and even Rosa Parks. The theater's mostly black audience roared in agreement and made further disparaging remarks especially about the Revered Jackson. Barbershop deserves five stars and should be seen by everyone. We can all identify with these less than perfect people who remind us of ourselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Worth It
Review: When Barbershop first came out, I was a bit skeptical. I didn't know how well Ice Cube could act, and didn't know how long a movie about a barbershop could hold my interest.
I was pleasantly surprised.
In Barbershop, Ice Cube plays Calvin Palmer, a barber who took over his father's barbershop when he passed away. The shop is in a lot of debt, and with his wife expecting, Calvin has to do something to get some money. So he sells the shop to a shady loan shark, Lester Wallace (Keith David). When he realizes how much the shop means to the community, and himself, he has to get it back.
Now, it may not sound like much there, but Barbershop is truly a good movie. It seems as though the main theme of Calvin selling the shop takes a backseat to the conversation and interaction in the shop itself. This is a good thing. The supporting characters in the shop are both believable and likeable. Sean Patrick Thomas plays Jimmy James, an egocentric know-it-all with a smooth haircut. Michael Ealy is Ricky Nash, a two-time felon who is given the opportunity to clean up his act. Eve, the rapper, plays Terri, a sharp-tongued girl who's not afraid to get up in someone's face. And Cedric the Entertainer's performance as Eddie, who worked with Calvin's father, ranks among one of the most enjoyable performances of 2002. On the whole, it is the supporting cast, not Ice Cube, that makes this movie more than just average.
What detracts from Barbershop is a slow-moving side plot about two guys (Anthony Anderson and Lahmard Tate) stealing an ATM from a convenience store down the street from Calvin's. Both actors are good, but the whole thing was silly and largely unnecessary. Its relevance doesn't become clear until the end of the film.
Overall, Barbershop was surprisingly good. It elicited more than a few laughs from me, and is sure to appeal to anyone. With a great supporting cast and a dynamic, funny script, Barbershop is well worth adding to your collection.
Rating:
Summary: An Epic Masterpiece!
Review: Barbershop is not just a beautiful film, but a brilliant shakespearean like epic skillfuly portrayed by an all-star cast. Our protagonist calvin (Ice Cube), works as the chief barber in his inherited barbershop in South central LA. Calvin's passion and love for this barbershop shines radiantly, thanks to the wonderful performance of ice cube. We see many layers of calvin's personality throughout the film, we see him as a comforting friend, a hard worker, a peer, and unfortunately, we also see him as an insolvent child. Such complexity allows the audience to fall in love with calvin because we see his humanity. What is beautiful of this film is that we establish a relationship with calvin before his flaw is introduced, this way we can lament WITH calvin as the events of the hectic day unfold. We find that calvin cannot pay a loan shark, and that he has till the end of the night to come up with the money or he loses his Barbershop. We watch as calvin tries to carry on a normal work day, hiding his pain and worries from his friends. While calvin worries for his barbershop, his unknowing friends and employes engage in halirious antics, political discussions, and activities that calvin would usually enjoy, but we see calvin shy away. For the first time calvin realizes the importance of friendship, the dependancy of his employees, and that the barbershop is not just a barbershop but a fragment of his own culture. It is a beautiful portrayl of a desperate mans last hours.
Rating:
Summary: Great Special Features!
Review: I saw this movie in the theater & I loved it. They "kept it real"...not ghetto. The men in my life appreciated the authentic depiction of what goes on in a barbershop...controversy & all. I enjoyed all the characters, especially Mike Ealy...the brotha is H.O.T! Sean Patrick Thomas---ooooh! ...Eve put it down earnestly & Cedric...y'know, is there anything to say? He's a master. I most love the special features on DVDs and this one didn't disappoint. The commentary with the director Tim Story & producers Robert Teitel, George Tillman, Jr., and Mark Brown was HILLARIOUS! These guys are funny & they did a great job walking us through how scenes were developed & the back story of the actors...didn't know that Isaac Rosenberg is Jane Fonda's son?! I enjoyed their commentary, their inside jokes, their insight, vision & passion for this movie. After hearing the commentary, I appreciate more how the actors worked to help keep this movie authentic...and it shows. I'm going to count this one among the classics!
Rating: 
Summary: ALEXS CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS
Review: Highlights: Cedric the Entertainer; lack of obscenity in a sensible script; witty/
Lowpoints: Conventional, anemic script; unnecessary slapstick sub-plot; obvious message. Conclusion: I've said it before and I'll say it again: in this day and age, one reviews films on the basis of whether or not they stand out, at least vaguely, among the perpetual fabrications of contemporary mainstream cinema. "Barbershop" is not offensive, has amusing developed characters (a hilarious Cedric), a good ol' story about the power of loyalty, respect and devotion, and a PG-13 stamp. Despite a redundant sub-plot involving a stolen ATM-machine and lots of dumb slapstick, "Barbershop" is a cozy little film that will definitely initiate a sequel, but won't resonate.
Rating:
Summary: classy and intelligent, a surprising film
Review: A film by Tim Story The barbershop has been a neighborhood institution in the African American community. It is the place that, historically, black men could gather together and talk about anything, from politics to religion to sports and not have to worry about white society. Long after the politics of the Civil Rights movement, the barbershop remains an important cornerstone of the neighborhood. The barbershop in question here is owned by Calvin (Ice Cube). It has been in the family for fifty years and while Calvin dreams (and tries) grander things, he also wants the shop to succeed. Unfortunately, the shop is not making much money (the reason for that is debated throughout the movie), and Calvin goes to a loan shark for help. It is too late when he realizes his mistake and now the barbershop is under a serious risk of being closed for good. Meanwhile there is a strange subplot about a couple of guys who stole an ATM and are trying to get the money from it. Everything ties together in the end, in a surprising way. This seems to be a fairly simplistic description, but the heart of the movie is actually in the barbershop and the dynamic of the relationships that we see there. I expected this to be another "dumb comedy", but this is actually fairly classy and intelligent and worth seeing. This should not be dismissed as a genre film, but is honestly a good movie. "Barbershop" costars Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, and Sean Patrick Thomas. -Joe Sherry
Rating: 
Summary: CEDRIC Saves the Day but Not the Film
Review: I may be in the minority on this, but I could care less. Anyway reviews are supposed to be honest and here is mine. I found Barbershop a huge disappointment along with Waiting to Exhale and Soul Food. All three films were hyped up beyond belief but once you watch them your interest deflates faster than a nerf ball. The only and I repeat ONLY reason to watch this for more than five minutes is because of Cedric The Entertainer, the only funny character in the film. With Anthony Anderson along for the ride I expected nonstop laughs. Instead I get the African-American version of National Lampoon's Barbershop. Ice Cube is good in dramas but he has no business being the lead character in a comedy. Ice Cube is frightening, not funny. He relies on comedy relief from co-stars such as he did in Friday which would have bombed without the hilarious Chris Tucker. There were too many wasted characters. I love Eve but she didn't do anything worth mentioning. Only one woman in the shop and you can't give her one funny thing to say? Ranting about apple juice...oh yeah that's funny. Men sitting around talking about black women's butts...yeah that's original to disrespect sisters. NOT! A big butt woman comes into the shop for men to gawk at...oh that's nothing we've never seen before. YEAH RIGHT! The funniest part was Cedric's take on Rosa Parks and we all know the heat Barbershop got from that. With a better lead this would have been very funny and lived up to the hype. Chris Rock or Brian Hooks would have sent this film to the roof with laughter. Ice Cube moped and whined. The funniest line he delivered was about the barbecue, other than that...he wasn't the right man for the part. I applaud Cube's efforts for trying to recapture the humor of Friday but he was the weakest spot. Also there were too many wasted characters and not enough women. What, sisters need something to relate to too. We're sick of seeing the same lame jokes put out by black men about our bodies, hair and attitude. Come on, Barbershop I expected something much more intelligent and funny. Cedric saved a sinking ship. If it hadn't been for him this movie would have sunk like a dead fish. Watch it if you want to. If you laugh, good for you. If you find something in this that's original, you deserve a million dollars. If you didn't find Barbershop worth the time and money, you're not the only one. The Barbershop on my corner is funnier than this. As I watched this one question popped into my head over and over: Where is Bernie Mac when you need him?
Rating:
Summary: ALEXS CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS
Review: Highlights: Cedric the Entertainer; lack of obscenity in a sensible script; witty/
Lowpoints: Conventional, anemic script; unnecessary slapstick sub-plot; obvious message. Conclusion: I've said it before and I'll say it again: in this day and age, one reviews films on the basis of whether or not they stand out, at least vaguely, among the perpetual fabrications of contemporary mainstream cinema. "Barbershop" is not offensive, has amusing developed characters (a hilarious Cedric), a good ol' story about the power of loyalty, respect and devotion, and a PG-13 stamp. Despite a redundant sub-plot involving a stolen ATM-machine and lots of dumb slapstick, "Barbershop" is a cozy little film that will definitely initiate a sequel, but won't resonate.
Rating:
Summary: Great Special Features!
Review: I saw this movie in the theater & I loved it. They "kept it real"...not ghetto. The men in my life appreciated the authentic depiction of what goes on in a barbershop...controversy & all. I enjoyed all the characters, especially Mike Ealy...the brotha is H.O.T! Sean Patrick Thomas---ooooh! ...Eve put it down earnestly & Cedric...y'know, is there anything to say? He's a master. I most love the special features on DVDs and this one didn't disappoint. The commentary with the director Tim Story & producers Robert Teitel, George Tillman, Jr., and Mark Brown was HILLARIOUS! These guys are funny & they did a great job walking us through how scenes were developed & the back story of the actors...didn't know that Isaac Rosenberg is Jane Fonda's son?! I enjoyed their commentary, their inside jokes, their insight, vision & passion for this movie. After hearing the commentary, I appreciate more how the actors worked to help keep this movie authentic...and it shows. I'm going to count this one among the classics!
Rating:
Summary: A cagey response to "Do The Right Thing"
Review: This perfectly charming, yet complex, film should be read as a multi-layered response to Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," which it name checks throughout. To be sure, Lee made that ground-breaking film in a totally different climate, and without Lee's trail-blazing example, "Barbershop" would never have been made. Granted. All the same, the movie rewrites Lee's film in such a way that it both pays homage and levels a critique, all at the same time. For one thing, the screenplay is classically constructed according to the standards of Hollywood film; at the same time, this concession does not difuse the movie's subversive appeal: witness the firestorm of controversy surrounding Sedrick the Entertainer's riff about Rosa Park and O.J. Simpson. That acheivement marks this movie as a classic piece of signifying irony. The fact that it was hit--and deserved to be one--means that its message got out there. And the message was that community matters, and that the struggle of African Americans has changed in its texture--witness the great turn by the Italian Chicago white boy who wants to be black--but not in its paraticulars. The Barbarshop is a place where everyone, including an old-school rabble rouser like Sedrick the Entertainer's character--can say what he believes, and that's what matters. The film is, itself, that symbolic Barbershop. The best narrative innovation is the hapless morons who steal that ATM machine, which becomes in the film an updated version of the racist piggy bank in Ellison's "Invisible Man." An ingenious, well made movie that deserves to be a popular classic. I can't wait to rent the sequel.
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