BARBERSHOP : THE NEXT CUT
Year : 2016
Genre : Comedy
Rating : ****
Who would have guessed that having written some of the most volatile and controversial lyrics in music history with his band NWA as well as his own solo work, that rapper and actor Ice Cube would go on to not only star but also produce one of the most likable, liberal and most emotionally driven comedy franchises of the past two decades? Certainly not me. 'Barbershop : The Next Cut', the third movie in the extremely enjoyable 'Barbershop' series once again sees the 'Boyz In The Hood' actor play Calvin, the wise yet increasingly anxious owner of the titular South Chicago hair salon, who with the help of his crew of fellow hair stylists and beauticians, attempt to repair some of the damage caused by gangs in their beloved community by doing what they do best - offering out free haircuts to gang members both friend and enemy.
As is the case with the previous two movies, much of the dialogue of 'Barbershop : The Next Cut' mostly consists of conversational banter between the few characters that make up the workers of the eponymous salon and while this banter may not be as funny or as satirically biting as it was in the first 'Barbershop' (2002), 'The Next Cut' still features the same discussions about feminism, misogyny, gang-culture, black rights and many of the other issues that affect the working class African American population today - all written with both great insight and a tremendous amount of passion by screenwriters Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver. According to the statistics website heyjackass.com, a shocking 85 people* have been mercilessly shot on the streets of Chicago THIS WEEK ALONE! As the news continues to remind us, gun violence and the ramifications of the 2nd amendment are subjects which is still causing all sorts of problems both politically and ethically in the States and while a definitive solution may not be reached anytime soon, 'Barbershop : The Next Cut' shows us that this most inflammatory of debates should be discussed with liberality, a sense of community and more that a hint of laughter.
No comments:
Post a Comment