Barbershop: The Next Cut

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Starring Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Common, Eve

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee

The Story:
In the south side of Chicago, crime is rampant, kids are killing kids, and gangs rule the streets.  Times have changed drastically for Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube) and his barbershop crew, especially now that he has to deal with his fourteen year old son Jalen (Michael Rainey Jr.), as he begins to dabble with gang affiliations and fighting.  With the city in chaos, Calvin and his friends come together in hopes of bringing rival gangs together by hosting a cease-fire weekend with free haircuts, but even that might not be enough to bring the community together, forcing Calvin to think of a more drastic and permanent solution.

Meanwhile, the marriage between Rashad (Common) and Terri (Eve) come into conflict with the new beauty shop employee Draya (Nicki Minaj), whose flirting threatens their relationship.  Plus the barbershop employees have to deal with sharing their space with the beauty shop run by Angie (Regina Hall), and a battle of the sexes erupt that doesn't really threaten the company, but provides some stunning social commentary and the always irreverent humor from old man Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer).

The Synopsis:
Back in 2002, "Barbershop" opened for business, and it was a rousing success.  So much so, it spawned a sequel in 2004 and a spin-off called "Beauty Shop" in 2005.  Then it seemed that the doors closed for good, until 2016, when Malcolm Lee (Spike Lee's cousin) directed the third installment, "Barbershop: The Next Cut."

2016 has been known for the time of sequels being released long after the previous installment, with little to no success.  First there was "Zoolander 2" (fifteen years later), and then "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" (fourteen years later).  Both films bombed in the box office and failed to re-ignite their franchises, so hopes of "The Next Cut" being a success seemed nearly impossible.

While it's not fairing brilliantly in the box office, it still managed to do what the other two films didn't - recapturing the old nostalgic feeling from the previous outings, making it modern, and still maintaining the heart of the story.  Mostly it's due to the cast, with the blend of returning favorites and new characters, whose chemistry shines through the screen and proves that they didn't do the film for a simple paycheck, but they truly loved working with each other and had a grand ole time making the film.

"The Next Cut" manages to blend humor and drama in perfect fashion, like combining different elements to make a whole new entity.  The drama arises as Calvin has to deal with the crime on the streets and gang warfare entering his home through his teenage son, and how he could protect him and not make him another statistic.  There's also the drama between Rashad, Terir and Draya that threatens to break up the marriage.  However, the film isn't so heavy that it holds you down in remorse and sadness, as the social and political commentary are delivered with pitch-perfect timing as the barbershop and beauty shop employees often quibble about those issues in very comedic fashion.  The standout performance, as always, is Cedric the Entertainer's no-nonsense gruff Eddie, whose tell it like it is attitude is refreshing and brings the audience back into a comfortable sense of security.

Even though there's several characters, there's no real minor roles as each person has a story and gives a great performance.  From no-nonsense co-owner Angie, to "reformed" ex-con J.D., the offbeat One Stop, female rights activist Bree, effeminate Jerrod and Indian Republican Raja, each character gives it their all and offers belly laughs from the audience. 

What I really appreciated about the film is that it reminded me of comedies from the late 90s/early 2000s, which didn't rely almost entirely on sexual humor and gross-out gags to get the laughs, but rather uses subtle sarcasm and witty jabs at society to bring on the humor.  They truly don't make films like this anymore.

The Summary:
Even though it's been twelve years since the sequel, "Barbershop: The Next Cut" remains true to its predecessors and offers a blend of humor and heart that hearkens back to the past, while maintaining a strong footing in the present.

The Score: A-