Barbershop: The Next Cut Review
By Andres Sereno
Edited by Carl Cottingham
With a hilarious screenplay that shed lights over the serious issues Chicago is confronting right now, Spike Lee’s cousin, Malcolm D. Lee, brings this amusing comedy that revives the Barbershop franchise by keeping the original formula of fun and laughter while highlighting real current issues. Written by “Black-ish” creator Kenyan Barris and “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” writer Tracy Oliver, The Next Cut is a well put together mix of characters whose lives revolve around the barbershop.
The movie centers on the titular barbershop’s owner, Calvin, played by Ice Cube, who is worried about the gang violence that his South Side Chicago neighborhood is dealing with. Particularly, he suspects that his teenage son is being approached by gangs in order to recruit him. Calvin decides to propose a ceasefire on the weekend in exchange for free haircuts for the entire community in order to foster understanding amongst everyone. This captures the attention of the media and local celebrities, giving rise to a new type of movement.
As you can tell by the premise, current society issues are tackled in the film. Issues such as what President Obama’s administration has done for the African-American community, the Bill Cosby scandal, and the Black Lives Matter movement are brought up in a way that feels relatable, honest and somehow with the twist of comedy that makes you laugh and yet think about these issues.
The performances are great overall. Leading in this department isCedric the Entertainer as Eddie, an older barber that speaks his mind with no filter whatsoever who’s amazingly funny. The ensemble is great and everyone adds something to the story. Although there are a lot of character, the film doesn’t feel crowded. We see characters from the first two movies such as Eve, Sean Patrick Thomas and Troy Garity. There are also some newcomers that do a fine job including Regina Hall, Nicki Minaj, Common and Tyga. The barbershop itself is a character as most of the entire film is set there. All the characters congregate there and discuss everything from their personal issues to what’s the best sex position.
This movie comes 12 years after the second one and feels as fresh and current as its predecessors were. The screenplay feels balanced with the comedy and the serious matters. As a whole, it presents the issues through the story of the characters without being overtly preachy. I dare to say that The Next Cut is the best of the entire franchise and it’s definitely worth to watch.
8/10
