What with 12 years having passed since the release of Barbershop 2: Back in Business, one
would think that the “sell by” date for yet another sequel to Ice Cube’s
surprise 2002 hit would have passed.
However, as even the most casual filmgoer knows, there is no statute of
limitations where sequels are concerned.
Thankfully Malcolm D. Lee’s Barbershop
3: The Next Cut is more than simply a throwaway follow-up as it touches on
vital social issues of the day, albeit in a lighthearted manner, that need to
be brought to the cinematic table on a more frequent basis.
Things have changed for Calvin (Ice Cube), the owner of the
titular establishment as he is now married and has a teenage son to care for. Terri (Eve) and Eddie (Cedric the
Entertainer) are still on hand to cut hair and crack wise but there are quite a
few new faces are on hand to stir the conversational pot. Calvin’s best friend Rashad (Common), uptight
Jerrod (Lamorne Morris), oddball Indian Raja (Utkarsh Ambudkar), unfiltered Dante
(Deon Cole) and go-getter One Stop (J.B. Smoove) now work or hang around the
shop, sometimes helping Calvin, at others driving him up the wall.
The film certainly isn’t afraid to tackle any of a myriad of
thorny subjects. Racism, lack of
employment and educational opportunity for African-Americans, political
corruption and the threat of random violence are prevalent among the topics
bandied about. What with the shop being shared with Angie (Regina Hall) and her
co-workers, a bevy of opinionated beauties that include level-headed Bree
(Margot Bingham) and the outlandish Draya (Nikki Minaj), an occasional flare-up
in the battle of the sexes is always on the horizon. The banter that occurs between the resident
boys and girl’s clubs are among the best moments in the movie as screenwriters
Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver fashion intelligent, witty dialogue for all
involved, making for smart arguments that manage to give both sides, whatever
the topic may be, credible equal time.
Credit to all involved for bringing the issue of urban gun
violence to the forefront, especially because the film takes place in Chicago,
where this is an epidemic. This gang
activity begins to spill over into the community where the barbershop is and
Calvin and the crew call for a 48 cease-fire, promising free haircuts to all
who stop by during this period.
Obviously, the hope is that this will foster a sense of
security and perhaps progressive dialogue on how to solve this problem. It’s a
nice thought and while the movie should be commended for at least putting forth
a temporary vision of how a tightknit community can and should exist, it’s
lightweight nature fails to make a true impact.
Still, there’s a lot of positivity at play here
and one wishes more films were as honest in the way Next Cut is where discussing social issues are concerned. And while
some of these topics are dealt with in a simplistic way, seeing Calvin care for
his son with a bit of tough love (the Cube snarl and a sharp demand to pull up
his pants goes a long way) and the barbershop’s community come together for the
common good are refreshing sights, ones that viewers will cling to, even if
they are arrived at a bit too conveniently.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2016.
