Barbershop 2

‘Barbershop 2: Back in Business’ is a sequel to the hair-raising comedy hit. Fans of the original, will be pleased to know that Calvin still has a shop on the South side in Chicago, populated by many of his snip-clipping colleagues from the first film.

The story is fairly simple, since it’s largely about barbershop rivalry and a fight between nasty big business corporate development vs local community interests. Calvin (Ice Cube) is strapped moneywise and none too pleased when a high-tech barbers prepares to open across the street. The new barbers Nippy Cutz is part of a nationwide haircutting chain of shops and comes with many new features – fish tanks, plush surroundings and the kind of money-pushing power that comes with a modern conglomerate business. This proves to be symptomatic of what is happening in the local community – small time shop-owners selling out to big business and the neighbourhood gradually losing its community spirit and identity, at least that’s what locals are afraid of. Calvin could sell out as many other local shop keepers do – but even if it doesn’t make great money sense, he prepares to battle, to take on the capitalist big-boys even if that means open ‘war’ in the barber stakes.

Barbershop 2 doesn’t stretch itself too far. It offers one slant on the development debate (no mention of how the influx of big-money developers can improve an area) and being neither heavily intellectual, subtle or profound, you’re left with inoffensive comedy fare sure to get support from lovers of the first film. Likeable if you’re looking for an undemanding comedy that thrives off the timing between barbers dedicated to their art and the kind of banter and idle backchat that makes a trip to a barber’s a delight.

Matt Arnoldi