By Melissa Antoinette Garza
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 15 years since the first BARBERSHOP (2002). I’ve always been a fan of Ice Cube. His music is incredible and his work in film is just as great. Whether going to earlier moments in his acting career like FRIDAY (1995) and THE GLASS SHIELD (1994) or recent successes like RIDE ALONG (2014), 21 JUMP STREET (2012) or FIRST SUNDAY (2008), it’s clear that Ice Cube was born to be a star. Cube has so much presence. He can switch from absolutely hilarious to brilliantly dramatic in a second.
When I saw Cube was back for the third film in the BARBERSHOP series, I couldn’t wait to give it a go. I was surprised it was already on Amazon.com for streaming rental and purchase. It was only $10 to buy and well worth it at that.
Calvin (Ice Cube) is still running the BARBERSHOP, though half of it is dedicated to a beauty salon run by Angie (Regina Hall). Eddie (Cedric: The Entertainer) isn’t too happy about the Unisex shop, but there are more things to worry about.
Chicago is in a recession and gang related murders have become so out-of-control that the mayor is proposing an enclosure that leads only one way out and one way in to the neighborhood. As business is already deteriorating, they know that an enclosure would cause what businesses remain to close down.
Meanwhile, Calvin’s young son Jalen (Michael Rainey Jr.) is being pursued by a gang. Calvin tries to enforce values and protect Jalen, but he’s at a rebellious age and the lure of money and friends is wearing him down. Likewise, Jalen’s best-friend Kenny (Diallo Thompson) is thinking of joining too. When they get into a gang-related fight at school, Calvin blames Kenny. He goes to Rashad (Common) who is both Kenny’s father and one of the barbers, and warns him to keep his child away from his own.
Rashad has enough problems. He’s feeling insecure because his wife Terri (Eve) is gone every weekend on business and isn’t paying attention to him as much. Not to mention, he is being actively pursued by Draya (Nicki Minaj), one of the women who work at the salon part of the shop. Terri suspects something is going on and though Common is dedicated and faithful to Terri, he makes some mistakes along the way.
Calvin, on the other hand, is determined to not make any mistakes. He decides to look for a Barbershop in a better neighborhood and thinks about putting Jalen in a Catholic school. He doesn’t share his plans to move with the rest of the shop, who still aim to save their business and stop the enclosure.
The group decides to hold a 48-hour seize on violence and offers free haircuts to anyone who shows up. They talk to the leaders of rival gangs who reluctantly sign-on. If it works, they may be able to avoid the enclosure.
It becomes evident that by the end, Jalen and Kenny need to decide whether to join the gang and Calvin needs to decide whether he wants to keep his Barbershop going where it is.
I liked this film as much as the others. It was a positive movie with a positive message that wasn’t blind to the issues plaguing America. Whether talking about police brutality, gang violence, gun control, racism, sexism or the economy, the film takes it head on.
I loved seeing Anthony Anderson reprise his role as J.D. Deon Cole is back as well. I wish Anderson and Cole had some more airtime together. I adore both on Black-ish and they have such great chemistry together.
I highly suggest BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT. The acting is great. It was awesome to see everyone back again and some new characters as well. I typically do not like Nicki Minaj. She’s always rubbed me as someone who is “ON” 24/7. That said, her character was also ON 24/7 and it fit the persona that Minaj has created for herself. Still, I really wanted to see Terri beat up Draya.
Common was phenomenal. I was both pissed off at Rashad and sympathized with him. Common shows his acting versatility in this one role by combining the weaknesses and strengths of his character. Whether it be feeling as though his masculinity is questioned or reassuring his wife about her own insecurities, he plays the material and delivers the dialogue effortlessly.
Speaking of his versatility, I didn’t realize Common was the man who portrayed Monster T in SUICIDE SQUAD. In the film, T decides to look a little too longingly at Harley Quinn, while doing business with The Joker. SPOILER: It doesn’t work well for T; and yes, I am still totally obsessed with SUICIDE SQUAD.
BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT should have found a larger audience. I think it would have if there was more advertising. I only remember seeing the trailer once and that was in the theater when waiting for a different film. Now that it’s available for purchase and rent, I hope it finds its rightful popularity.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7/10
