MOVIE - BARBERSHOP - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$$ (OUT OF 10)
STARRING - ICE CUBE, CEDRIC the ENTERTAINER, EVE, MICHAEL EALY, ANTHONY ANDERSON, SEAN PATRICK THOMAS, LEONARD EARL HOWZE &
TROY GARITY & KEITH DAVID.
The story revolves around a day in the lives of several Barbers in an inner-city Barbershop.
Barbershop is that rare film that successfully combines comedy, pain, and thought provoking banter seamlessly. Barbershop tackles race relations, envy, the struggle to get ahead, resentment, pride (in yourself and your profession) and filling your father's shoes without missing a beat. Where so many other films, this year, have failed to coherently convey their multiple messages (Simone, Road to Perdition, City By the Sea), Barbershop succeeds. Being insightful, while making us laugh out loud, Barbershop is a lovingly crafted tribute and simultaneous expose of inner-city life and values. There are no punches being pulled here.
The final script, which underwent several rewrites, convincingly captures the motivations of its ensemble cast. All of the characters are sufficiently developed to be credible. That, is itself, remarkable given the number of characters in the film. It's even more remarkable considering the numerous story lines that are being played out. No one gets short changed in Barbershop. Like a good haircut there is not a hair out of place when the film ends.
All of the actors give excellent performances. The strongest, is given by Cedric the Entertainer, who is the group's elder statesman and link to their past. His performance is so good that Paul Newman now has legitimate competition in the Best Supporting Actor Oscar race. Anthony Edwards's portrayal of the bumbling crook is priceless. Possibly the weakest, of the excellent performances, is Ice Cube's. Occasionally he seems to be searching for ways to properly express his character's angst.
Barbershop is, in many ways, more Broadway than Hollywood. An excellent cast and script that unfolds for the most part in one location. Credit must be given, to former music video guru, director Tim Story. His direction, particularly of the Barbershop "debates", is simply superb.
Barbershop, like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is a low budget production. The quality of the ensemble cast's performance rivals that of the excellent ensemble cast in Last Orders. Barbershop, in stark contrast to the summer's blockbusters, is another example of how far mainstream Hollywood has strayed from producing quality films. Hollywood needs to go back to film school and study films like this to see what good movie making is all about.
Book an appointment to see, Barbershop, one of the Ten Best Films of the Year.
Alternate Reviews:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-barber13f.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/mv_reviews/review.asp?mid=2044790
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Barbershop-1115979/
Official Website:
http://www.mgm.com/barbershop/
MY TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2002
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© Copyright
2003
David Schwartz.
Last update:
8/9/03; 11:05:18 PM.
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