Barbershop: The Next Cut

Going through these awesome movies is quite enjoyable and Malcom D. Lee did solid with this. Awesome colors, solid cast with most the same, goofiness, and more crime than before; these movies don't get enough appreciation. More banter although Cedric has plenty of wisdom. Nicki Manji is a great addition, wonderful to see Eve and how she still has the cult classic joke about the apple juice that's always wonderful! JB Smoove is amazing too he has the best personality. The only thing that should've been left out is how much violence is mentioned to much hostility, this is the most depressing of the Barbershop films.

"Barbershop used to be a place of peace." Chicago is in a bad way. The violence has begun to take over and it finally hits the area around Calvin's (Cube) barbershop. When Calvin's son becomes involved in gang violence he has to once again wonders if the best course of action for his family is to close the shop. This series has been very strange. The first one was funny but didn't think it needed a sequel. The second one was really bad and I didn't like it at all. This one though I thought was the best of all 3. That being said that all pretty much have the same plot. This one has nothing all that original and the movie is fairly predictable but the reason to watch isn't for the plot. This movie has a great and very timely message. It was a little strange to see the guy responsible for F the Police to have such a strong anti-violence movie…but that actually adds a little to the impact of it. Overall, the best of the series with one of the best messages of any movie in the last few years. I actually recommend this for that, and the laughs. I give this a B.

'Barber Shop: The Next Cut' is that Hollywood classic, the sequel gone bad. The original was original, witty, joyously coarse and endless fun. This takes the same bunch of delightful performers (Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer and more, including including the splendid J.B.Smoove), and saddles them with a preachment on ghetto uplift. Not only that, there's a side order of gender equality and a dash of the need for sisterly solidarity. The result is that the original movie, which was a delicious guilty pleasure, has been turned into a slow-moving tract of the sort that earnest do-gooders think is hip and persuasive. All in all, this sequel has so much heart it has lost its soul.

Absolutely impressed with how Ice Cube has pushed this franchise forward.

Spike Lee's cousin, Malcolm Lee directs more of a love letter to Chicago (literally narrated by Ice Cube in the film) Than last years Chi-Raq (which I hear Chicago gives no love for)

I hope Chi-Town feels differently about Barbershop: the Next Cut. Despite being filmed in Georgia(according to the peach in the end credits), it is a positive silver lining, Rose growing in concrete type situation, that encourages hope for all African American Neighborhoods (And their local Barbershops)

Ice Cube returns as Calvin, a small business owner trying to keep his head afloat. He does this by merging with Angie who owned a Beauty shop(I don't think it's the same one from the Barbershop spin-off, Beauty Shop). Most importantly he's a father trying to do what is right for his son Jalen, who's growing up in a neighborhood that seems worse now than when he was coming up.

Cedric The Entertainer also returns as old school Barber Eddie, and Eve returns as Terri Jones who has made a success out of herself cutting hair for the rich and famous. The Next Cut also has nice cameo appearances from other Barbershop alum like Sean Patrick Thomas as Jimmy James whose made it all the way up to the Mayor's office, and comes back with the plot of the movie:

The Mayor's office's plans to end gang violence in the community would actually threaten the small businesses in the neighborhood including the Barbershop, so the shop comes up with the idea of making Calvin's a Swiss like neutral territory for all that come for one weekend to get the gangs talking about peace.

Some new blood up in the shop is Common, as Terri's husband, Rashad. Common gave an impressive performance, that was all political, dramatic romantic, and humorous (those are some leading man skills right there). It's interesting that rapper Ice Cube would allow another rapper to outshine him like that (I guess it's OK cause they are just acting).

The movie was a well done political satire on what is going on in the community today, and how much we all need to band together to create positiveness, and it was all done without lacking in the entertainment quality that puts the Barbershop film franchise up there with the Friday movies.

Fantastic Job!

When Barbershop came out in 2002, I felt it was a great comedy, because it was hilarious, and it had a great message, so naturally a belated sequel excited me. The cast from the old film is gone, except for Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer, who are back. Barbershop: The Next Cut is funny, contains a heartwarming message, and features a lot more depth than many would expect from a comedy. It should be noted now, I do feel that the original Barbershop was a better all around film.

Barbershop: The Next Cut as a comedy alone, isn't hilarious but is quite funny, and will have a few good moments of laughter, but nothing truly hilarious. From the comedy perspective, one character helps keep these films funny, and that's Cedric the Entertainer. Unfortunately, I watched the film comparing it to the original, and the original was clearly funnier, as the focus in "The Next Cut" was not on the comedy as much. The only problem with that is that in Barbershop the film was so funny, that when it switched to being serious, those moments resonated with the audience, where in this film they don't resonate as much.

The film does try to be serious quite often, which isn't a surprise, and in fact is one of the best elements of the film. However you take the message, it's a good message, and putting a message that we can all agree upon in a comedy makes it even better. The film does a really great job reflecting on the community structure of today, ironically though the message, while directed at poverty stricken places, isn't limited exclusively to one of place or group of people, we all can learn from this movie.

As happened with Barbershop in 2002, "The Next Cut" has an unexpected amount of emotional depth. It's refreshing in the climate of modern comedies, where many of them are mechanical, that a comedy can show so much depth. The Next Cut, much like it's predecessor is able to be both funny and serious, making the moments when it is serious even more powerful. It's also nice to see a group with so much chemistry that they feel and look like a real community, so when they fight it feels real.

In the end Barbershop: The Next Cut is a really good comedy film, that does exactly what comedy should do, makes you laugh and teaches you life lessons along the way. The film is both funny, and emotional, which is really refreshing when some comedies are neither. The only thing for those who love the original Barbershop is that "The Next Cut", in my opinion, is not quite as good, but is extremely close. For anybody that wants a good relaxing time at the theater, this movie is a perfect choice.