Barbershop 2: Back in Business

I went to a few Super Bowl functions over the weekend and Cedric was the guest at a small club in Jacksonville. The promoters were pleased (I'm sure) that one of the many names on the venue actually appeared and entertained! Cedric is a real LADIES man. He is always smiling and the attention is received with positive feedback. He was the life of the not so organized event. He could have walked but, he knew there was much disappointment in the air with all the no-show names on the venue at Kartuche night club in Jacksonville. Some like me paid $175.00 for VIP passes that were entry to An upstairs room filled with herbal essence in the air! An area Cedric and Pimpen Ken did not enter! Cedric saved the show by taking over and handled it like the PRO Entertainer that he is. Despite the no show names of various artists and players scheduled to appear. The man has it going on. It's no wonder he is so loved. The life he leads is that of a respectful man who cares about all of his fans! He is a top notch fun guy to KICK-IT with. I had my digital camcorder and got a lot of good footage of the camera friendly ENTERTAINER- My kids are really excited about all the great stuff I got on camera. We will cherish the recorded footage of a real down to earth CEDRIC "THE LADIES MAN" ENTERTAINER! All his movies are GREAT and will be watched for many years to come by his adoring fans! Barber Shop is my favorite I think- THANKS CEDDIE! Jodi Chambers-Wilson Jax Bch., Florida

The plot involves a new, hipper franchise barbershop that is moving across the street from Calvin's barbershop. So, he feels like he has to change and improve his shop by getting newer stuff and such. Sounds real exciting huh. As for the rest of the film, a lot of it involves the same material from the first film. The people that work at Calvin's stand around, talk loud, and mouth off to each other and the customers. Once again Cedric the Entertainer was mildly funny, but it is more like he's doing a stand-up routine than anything to do with the movie. And Calvin is faced with another moral issue involving taking a large sum of money. He's already shown that he will do the right thing in the end.

FINAL VERDICT: Nothing new. I don't recommend it unless you thought the first Barbershop was the best thing since sliced bread.

"Barbershop 2: Back in Business" is a logical and somewhat more expansive continuation of the original "Barbershop" film. However, it suffers from sqeuelness; a lack of appreciation because it can't be as fresh at the first. "Barbershop 2" also spends more time outside the shop with some backstory history, competition from a Nappy Cutz franchise across the street, Queen Latifah's salon for a heartbeat, etc. and less time with what made the original film special and charming; the good natured repartee between barbers, Eddie's (Cedric) racial worldview philosophy, barber/customer interaction, zingers, etc. Bottom line is simple. Watch "Barbershop" first. If you like it, give this film a try. If not, not. (C+)

Although I thought this movie was really funny the first was still better. It was wrapped around more controversy. Also this movie was made for Cedric. He is the central point of the movie. Not that I mind b/c he is a great comedian. Queen Latifah was very underused but it seems that she has her own barber/beauty movie coming out so that will make up for it. I also like the fact that the Barbershop movies talk about real problems with the way society thinks about things. This movie is good and needs to be watched. I own the first and will own the second.

Most of the major characters return for this impressive sequel that nearly works as well as its very good predecessor. Barbershop owner Ice Cube and his fellow cutters (out-of-place female Eve, African immigrant Leonard Earl Howze, super white boy Troy Garity, ex-con Michael Ealy and loud-mouthed veteran Cedric the Entertainer) have a new problem on their hands. Business opportunist Harry Lennix wants to open a Nappy Cutz (a fictional Super Cuts-styled rip-off) shop across the street. Immediately the group is worried about the possibility of being run out of business by the upstarts. Former barber Sean Patrick Thomas (now working for Illinois state governor Robert Wisdom) realizes the situation and does what he can to help. Naturally though Wisdom is just as crooked and suspicious as Lennix so thus another dilemma occurs. Ice Cube is also constantly bothered by one of his wife's (Jazsmin Lewis) relatives (a priceless turn by Kenan Thompson). Thompson also has the itch to become a stylist and hangs around the shop in spite of the fact that no one trusts him with their hair. Also along for the ride is beauty shop owner Queen Latifah who doubles as Cube's old love interest and Cedric's acid-tongued equal. A little history into Cedric's background is hilarious, heart-breaking and thought-provoking all at the same time. He thinks about a lost love (Garcelle Beauvais) and also remembers Cube's kind and decent father (Javon Jackson). Flashbacks to a Civil Rights-torn landscape of 1960s Chicago becomes a strangely poignant part of a franchise that people do not think of as serious. All in all "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" is a noble work. Once again the screenplay and direction are adequate, but the amazing characters are still the series' primary calling card. Lennix and Wisdom are really not quite as good as antagonist Keith David was in the original. I also missed neighborhood trouble-makers Anthony Anderson and Lahmard Tate, but their absences do not shatter the overall effectiveness of the sequel. 4 stars out of 5.