Of all the Ice
Cube films, this is my favorite. It’s filled with raw comedy and is totally
cool. The whole idea of the trouble it takes to steal an ATM machine, and what
happens when you borrow money from the wrong people, serves as a vehicle to
drive the comedy in this film.
My take on Barbershop is
that the acting is solid, the comedy is well-delivered and always straight to
the point, causing you, the viewer, to make regular withdrawals at the laugh
bank. The movie was a helping hand for acting newcomers Eve and Michael Ealy,
and it also featured well-rounded actors like Anthony Anderson, Cedric the
Entertainer, and Keith David.
Barbershop makes
you laugh all the way through and plays on an issue that bothers many: “What
matters most—me or others?” That’s the question Calvin Palmer Jr. (played by
Ice Cube) has to answer as he faces a dilemma. Should he sell the barbershop
and chase his dreams, or keep it and continue to slug it out with life?
Calvin decides
to go with the former, believing his dream is bigger and better. So, he sells
the barbershop he inherited from his father to Lester Wallace (Keith David),
who fools Calvin into thinking he’ll keep it as a barbershop. In reality,
Lester plans to keep the name “Calvin’s Barbershop” but turn the shop into a
gentleman’s bar.
After a while,
Calvin realizes he’s made a huge mistake and tries to take back the money. This
decision ends up being the central problem the film is based on—well, half of
it, anyway. Let’s not forget the theft of an ATM machine by JD (Anthony
Anderson) and Billy, who believe they can pry it open with power tools.
I can’t tell you
which was funnier to watch: “The Tale of the ATM” or “Eddie (Cedric the
Entertainer) in the Barbershop.” Both were hilarious to the core, and by the
end of the movie, both incidents are resolved with everyone going home happy.
The huge success
of the movie led to a sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, two years
later, and then a spin-off, Beauty Shop. Neither made as much money as the
first film, nor did they receive as much critical approval.
So, if you’re like me and looking for some good homemade laughs, go see Barbershop again. The way the movie is crafted, it is raw comedy.
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