Beauty Shop (2005) User Reviews (70)

different from the barbershops, but still holds its own

[flashbeagle · 6/10 · 4 April 2005]

More of a spin-off movie than it is a sequel to 2002 and 2004's Barbershop movies; Beauty Shop comes to us as the female rendition of the popular franchise. Beauty Shop gives us the return of Gina, played by Queen Latifah, from the second Barbershop movie. Gina has moved away from Chicago to Atlanta so her daughter can attend a prestigious music school. She has made a name for herself at a posh European-style salon owned by the famous hairstylist Jorge. After a scuffle with her boss, Gina decides to quit her job and achieve her dream of owning her own beauty shop. She brings with her, a few loyal customers along with another worker at the salon. With the help of her family and the electrician slash romantic interest who lives above the shop, Gina finds success with her beauty salon.

The cast of Beauty shop follows the same formula as the barbershop movies. There's the obvious ice cube parallel with Queen Latifah's Gina. The older and wiser stylist, the male form of Cedric the Entertainer's character, played by Alfre Woodard who quotes the wisdom of Maya Angelou to her customers. The token white worker is present with Alicia Silverstone, and the one opposite sex worker played by Eve in the barbershop has her counter part with Bryce Wilson's James. Also included in the film is everyone's favorite Huxtable, Keisha Knight Pullian, famous as Rudy Huxtable. And lastly, quite possibly my favorite part of the movie and funniest character in the movie, Kevin Bacon is hilarious as the egocentric Jorge. The cast works very well together and the fun they had while making the film shows in each scene.

While the cast is fun to watch, I still felt as though something in the film was missing. When watching Barbershop, that classic old town feel emits throughout the show. The characters are so fun to watch as we see their relationships with each other and their own personalities work and clash with each other. While watching Beauty shop, while the characters were fun to watch interact with each other, that feeling just isn't the same when you walk out. I left feeling somewhat unfulfilled.

However, after more reflection on the matter, I realized, that the mood of a beauty shop is no the same as the mood of a barbershop. Maybe I didn't feel the same, because, well, I'm not a woman. As with any television spin off, a movie spin off should be able to hold its own ground. It doesn't need to be a complete reference to its predecessor. Think of Frasier. One of the things that made the show so great was the fact that it held its on ground separate from Cheers. The same goes with Beauty Shop. Yes, it relies on a few references and relations to the barbershop movies, but other than that, it completely holds its own. Which, as I thought about it, made it more enjoyable to know that I wasn't watching the same movie in female form.

Beauty Shop is a fun movie to watch with a very solid cast. Queen Latifah does a fine job as Gina and makes and, more or less, makes up for her involvement with last year's Taxi. If for anything else, see the movie for Kevin Bacon, you wont be disappointed. Beauty shop is pretty enjoyable and is the closest to a hair cut ill come to. I give it 3 stars.(out of 5)

I love Queen Latifa!

[sidunrau · 6/10 · 9 April 2005]

VERY mild spoilers.

This movie has some great funny parts. The friends I was with kept saying "where's the plot?" Well, the plot was done in, well, chick-flick style - plenty of relationship touchy-feely stuff, and not much action. But that's what I expected.

For me the strength of the film was in the development and interaction of the characters. The writers spared no silly jokes in virtually any conversation - which is why I wanted to see the film in the first place.

Kevin Bacon as a fake German gay hair-salon owner was a bit disappointing; when we actually saw him try to work he didn't seem to know anything about the how to do hair - which contradicts the premise of his character. He could have been a competent hair-dresser and still been a total jerk.

Queen Latifa, as usual, was wonderful, witty, funny, delivered her lines perfectly, and simply knows how and when to do things just at the right moment. I'm sure the editors, director and others also deserve credit for her performance, but she shines in whatever she's in.

OK, I don't mean to make this out to be a great movie; it isn't. It's entertaining, touching and funny - but it's mostly just "there" and doesn't really move me beyond the moment. When it was over I was ready to go home.

A Fun Comedy!

[moviewizguy · 7/10 · 23 December 2005]

This movie is a spin-off sequel to Barberer Shop 2: Back in Business. Gina is a hairstylist who opens up a beauty shop full of employees and customers more interested in speaking their minds than getting a cut.

Latifah does it again! Her charm lights up the screen. Gina's business starts off bad. Her own shop just looks bad. Luckily, her friends help her clean up the place and that's where she hires employees. She gets one of her white friends in the other shop to help her work there. Some of her black friends comes to help.

This is one of those comedies that doesn't uses f-words. The acting from Latifah, Woodard, Silverstone, and Bacon are great. Actually, I've never seen Bacon act like that in his entire film career. It's funny to see that. Bacon's character then gets jealous because Gina is doing much better than he has expected. The jokes are funny in this film.

If you just want to see a feel-good film, here it is!

conventional script elevated by a talented ensemble

[Special-K88 · 7 March 2007]

Barbershop spin-off finds Latifah in Atlanta where she's recognized as the city's best hair stylist even though she works for a dandy, self-absorbed shop owner (Bacon). Ambitious and fed up with his disrespect, she quits her job then branches out and opens her own shop. Despite her undeniable talent, and the support of her devoted co-workers, she still has to learn how to endure the hardships of owning and operating her own business. The plot is a little too simple, and seems set up a bit too easily, but it's likable and pleasant with an appealing, first-rate cast. Bacon has an odd but amusing supporting role, and Latifah is an ideal leading woman. Laughs aren't always consistent but they are effective, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. **½

Booty Shop

[kergillian · 5/10 · 30 March 2005]

This was Booty Shop more than Beauty Shop, and a spin off with a strong cast and a lot of potential was buried in silliness. The Barbarshop films were successful because they were feel good, fun and had a sense of victory for the hardworking father.

This time, we have the exact same sentiments in reverse - mother instead of father, all women stylists except the one guy, all black except the one white girl - except instead of having a white guy who is trying to be a boy from the hood from the outset, we have a girl who forgoes her personality in favour of becoming a black wannabe. So the message from that perspective is that in order to fit in and be accepted one must conform to be just like everyone else. Good for a few laughs, but loses something in the translation.

The standouts here are Kevin Bacon who is outstanding and hilarious as Jorge the not- quite-Austrian salon owner, and Djimon Hounsou, who is charming and catches you with the kindest face in film.

The rest of the cast are average, each actor and actress playing themselves and bringing nothing special to the table.

On the whole, this film is just a shadow of the Barbershop films, basically trying to emulate them frame by frame, except for one important aspect: this film has no plot. No story. it's just a bunch of scenes strung together by the overall premise of a beauty shop owner trying to make it in this crazy world. No story and no Cedric the entertainer and a ton of excessively vulgar booty humour equals a poor (wo)man's Barbershop. I'd save your tenner and wait for the DVD - or better yet, rent the Barbershop films. They're the better bet, as the originals usually are when compared with the clones. 5/10.

Holla!

[Boggman · 6/10 · 8 September 2005]

I am not black. I am not a woman. I have never had a weave or extensions, and I try to stay out of the ghetto as much as possible.

Yet I got a kick out of Beauty Shop for some reason???

The script itself is not all that strong, but the performances by QL and the rest of the ensemble cast are watchable and engaging.

Props to Kevin Bacon. His outrageous and flamboyant Jorge' is a nice departure from his other roles and he comes across as quite convincing in the part.

The movie only gets 3 stars from me because the storyline is quite conventional and played out. However, for the most part the jokes are funny and the actors deliver them nicely.... so tack on an extra star for that.

While it won't win any awards, "Beauty Shop" is pure mindless fun.

Bad Perm at the "Beauty Shop"

[mswatsoninc · 5/10 · 2 September 2007]

"Beauty Shop" is harmless. Harmless in the sense that it tells a story, isn't necessarily offensive, and goes into the old reliable bag of tricks when it comes to entertaining.

If you, like me, have panned down the cast on IMDb.com, you'll see quite an eclectic bunch of actors. Alfre Woodard, Queen Latifah, Keven Bacon, Andie MacDowell, Alicia Silverstone, Mena Suvari, Dijmon Hansou, and Keisha Knight-Pulliam--it's as random as random can be...well, so is the script. And, as a result, so is the movie.

Kathy Griffin does an entire act on feeling nervous when white people start speaking black around her--it makes her feel awkward. Now imagine Andie MacDowell shaking her now developing booty and Alicia Silverstone freaking a black man on the dance floor. I think if you were look up the word "awkward" in the dictionary, these two plot points would appear as references to the emotion.

Queen Latifah can't seem to break that aura that you're watching a person playing themselves. Try as she might (or is capable of), she can't make us believe her chemistry with Hansou is realistic, and, though you like "Gina," she can't really make us commit to it, and I can't really say that you like her enough to care that she's having a hard time. All of the supporting characters are basically stereotypical--no one is spared, whether they be the the black girls in the shop, the wannabes who try and adjust, or the white characters who want to fit in that just can't seem to--ergo, we get laughs for situational comedy rather than actual funny writing. And the biggest revelation is that a character that everyone is convinced as gay turns out to be just a metro-sexual who has a prison record and likes white girls. Sorry--that's not enough to make me strive to look past the forest and see the trees.

I know we are being asked to not judge a book by its cover, but, Silverstone's phony "hick from the sticks" accent was waring on my nerves far too much to pick up that message...and, I still can't get past Andie MacDowell being a pivotal character in this film. Her acting prowess is debatable, and she seems to just show up whenever a Southern accent is required in a film. But, it was somewhat nice to see how a former "Cosby Kid" turned out after what must be a huge cross to bear if you're looking to carve out an acting career for yourself.

Harmless fun

[dmturner · 7/10 · 3 April 2005]

This amusing little movie appeals to a wide range with its comfortable humor, racy but utterly inoffensive conversation, and its roots in Disney-style family values (but for the real world). Queen Latifah does a relaxed and amiable job of tying the film together, and the ensemble cast is sweet and funny. I was impressed with Alicia Silverstone's turn as a geeky little white country girl--it's the first time she hasn't been playing off a well-to-do type and she carries it off. We had a nice relaxing time of it while we were watching, and half an hour later I've forgotten most of it--but that's just fine. Means I can pop it in the DVD player later on, enjoy it, and not remember a word.

Despite a strong cast, Beauty Shop is mostly a forgettable flick

[christian123 · 3/10 · 5 September 2005]

Queen Latifah reprises her role from Barbershop 2: Back in Business as sassy stylist Gina Norris, who has now moved down to Atlanta. When her annoying boss (Kevin Bacon) at the fancy salon where she works goes too far, Gina decides to set up her own business, bringing along the shampoo girl (Alicia Silverstone) and many of their clients. In her new beauty shop, women have a lot on their mind and they're not afraid to speak out about it.

So, the premise is pretty much just a female version of Barbershop. Barbershop appealed to everyone and it was fairly interesting to watch. Beauty Shop is the exact opposite and it's just not as interesting nor as funny to watch. The characters aren't as good and some are just bad stereotypes. The dialog is also pretty weak and the film just doesn't work sometimes.

In this type of film, if the characters aren't interesting then the film is dead. Luckily, Queen Latifah has a likable personality and she carries the film by herself. It doesn't make the film good but she did save it from being a complete disaster. She's not as good as Ice Cube but can still carry her own film.

The rest of the actors are only okay though they seem to be having a good time and this helps. Alicia Silverstone gives a decent performance as Lynn. Her really annoying accent takes away from the performance though. Andie MacDowell's role is pretty small, which is a good thing since her performance isn't very good. Kevin Bacon gives a funny performance as Jorge. Unfortunately, he isn't in the film very much. The rest of the actors aren't very memorable and they aren't worth mentioning. Billie Woodruff does a bad job of directing and he should seriously stick to directing music videos, if that. He just doesn't try anything new or interesting. He keeps the pace sluggish and he just follows a normal routine.

I didn't like the movie very much. I thought I would like it because I enjoyed Barbershop. However, Beauty Shop was dull and not very creative. The script was generic and weak. The characters were mostly just stereotypes and one dimensional. The main plot line just wasn't as engaging as Barbershop. Also, the topics they discussed in the shop, just weren't very interesting and they were more fluffy topics rather than important topics. In the end, Beauty Shop is a disappointment and a dud compared to Barbershop. Rating 4/10

One of the strongest movies dealing with integration I think I've seen

[Polaris_DiB · 7/10 · 12 March 2006]

Beauty Shop You know, the more I think about it, the more I like Queen Latifah. For the overall uselessness of the movie Bringin' Down da House, that one scene where she transforms into a rich, upper class type public speaker just to show Steve Martin's character that she CAN do it, she just chooses NOT to, definitely shows a side of "black culture" that is much more relatable to-->the fact that (a lot/most/some?) choose that because that's how they WANT to identify themselves, and it's not meant to be confrontational at heart. It's like choosing to be a goth, or a punk, or all of those subcultures almost, conformingly anticonformist, grouping yourself in a similar minded alternative.

So now we have this movie, where Queen Latifa plays Gina, a stylist whiz who feels under-appreciated at her job so opens her own shop, and there she shocks and appalls the neighborhood by bringing in white clientele and white employees and letting them all enjoy the scenery. It's actually one of the strongest movies dealing with integration I think I've seen, basically because when everyone gives trouble to the the white girl, and the white girl's getting upset and disturbed by it, Gina just has to say to her, "Hey, think how I felt in a white shop." Indeed.

Plus, when dealing with those pesky issues of representation that seems to hover over every mediated creation of "black characters", this one is pretty broad, from the black women who refuse to work with the white woman and leave, to the young "white-speaking" black girl who keeps on getting hit on by the jive-talking twelve-year-old, to the African culture versed man above them who, also, happens to know a thing or two about playing good piano.

And of course it would be. From the makers of Barbershop, it has that same more critical look at black culture that loves it, and yet knows what it really is and where people on "both" sides take it too seriously. Barbershop was actually quite a wonderful film, mostly because of it's political incorrectness, but also because of the pale-skinned barber who points out that being black is what he wants, not what he has to be born into, and Cedric the Entertainer doing his "Martin Luther King Jr. was a HO!" bit was just too much.

Now if only this film didn't have ... well... Kevin Bacon. I thought that having Kevin Bacon in it would make it amazing, but it really, really didn't. He's just too weird for a too lightly humored film. Instead, I'd like to point out that this movie has Andie McDowell in a fantastic role, so with that cast, it's got to have SOMETHING to it.

--PolarisDiB

Watchable, but not much more.

[winner55 · 5/10 · 3 September 2007]

Being an admirer of Queen Latifah, who I believe as a great talent, I really to like this film. But I'm afraid I can't recommend it.

First, it is clear the cast and crew think the script funnier than it is; that's important, because it means there are going to be editing mistakes - not glaring ones like mismatched shots in inter-cut, but mistakes in timing, when the editor thinks there's a audience laugh to be allowed for with the brief "take" of an actor's response to a line or slow-burn; but the laugh doesn't arrive, so the takes are just dead time, dragging the film down.

Which of course leads to the second problem , the film's pacing. It is very erratic. Some scenes have no build-up, some have too much and end up over-extended which all amounts to "slow"; there are actually 'slow comedy' techniques (Jack Benny was a master). But this is basically a sit-com without a laugh track, so it needs to move at a real clip; but it doesn't.

Finally there's manner in which Latifah is presented. The director clearly admires her acting as much as I do, but he keeps trying to emphasize it. Latifah understands that an actor only needs small gestures and expressions on film, since the camera enlarges everything; but the director here really tries to bring our attention to her performance so that she appears to be over-acting sometimes when that is not the case - actually, the camera lingers too long, there are too many close-ups and they are too close for the naturalistic performance Latifah is trying to accomplish.

That happens, to a lesser extent, with all the actors, all of whom are doing their best.

But it's a weak script to start with, and the director hasn't yet found a focus that elevates it, so the acting gets pretty lost along the way.

Watchable, but not much more.

Delightfully funny movie

[hkfilms-1 · 8/10 · 8 April 2005]

Beauty Shop is a wholesome movie. It is a refreshing change from the negative portrayal of females seen in most movies today. Beauty Shop captures the true qualities of women striving, surviving, and winning against all odds. There wasn't a strong storyline, just a message of how women of all cultures deal with cheating husbands, cosmetic surgery, gender and racial profiling, insecurity, and male chauvinism. Still these women roll with the punches to enjoy each other and celebrate the beauty within.

The underlining theme of the movie is Maya Angeleo's poem Phenomenal Woman, which can be seen in Gina Norris (Queen Latifa), the struggling entrepreneur trying to secure a future for her daughter Vanessa (Paige Hurd) a young talented pianist. Particularly colorful characters are "Catfish Rita" (Cheryl Underwood), Ms. Josephine (Alfre Woodard), Lynn (Alicia Silverstone), Darnell (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Jorge (Kevin Bacon). It is has lots of humor, guaranteed to make you smile.

Gina's house of beauty

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 23 July 2006]

Gina, an immensely talented beautician, is stuck in Jorge's shop. Her clients adore her, as she does wonders with their hair and their egos. A beauty shop is the social place where women go, not only to have their hair taken care of, but also is where a lot of drama happens when divas don't have their way.

Jorge, the phony man who owns the exclusive Atlanta salon, feels threatened by the talented Gina, who he sees as a threat; he ends up firing her. Gina doesn't take anything sitting down. She envisions having her own place and will not stop until she finds it. When she takes over a salon that has seen better days, she starts putting her input into what she wants the place to be. Some of her old customers follow her.

Not everything is easy for Gina. It appears that Jorge is behind the scenes trying to do anything to derail Gina's business. But never fear, Gina is up to the task and she is a formidable foe, so don't mess around with her.

This comedy, directed by Bille Woodruff, capitalizes on Queen Latifah's charismatic personality. She is sassy, she has common sense and if anyone can make a place like Gina's work, it's this huge talent that is the main reason for watching the movie. Kevin Bacon also has some hysterical moments as Jorge. He is a riot when he shakes his corn rows when he is in a snit. Alfre Woodard, Andie MacDowell, Mena Suvari, Djimon Hounsou, Alicia Silverstone, and Keisha Knight Pulliam, of the old "Bill Cosby Show" do their best to keep the pace of the comedy going.

Ultimately, this is Queen Latifah's show. Enjoy it!

sucked

[rainstar840 · 2/10 · 2 September 2005]

This movie was ridiculous, I found it rude, hurtful, and racist. Enough with movies putting down white people. I wasn't even born here and I still get put down in movies like this, thats' really unfair and hurtful, a slap in the face. The idea of the movie was fun, it seems like a fun, relaxing type movie, but then I saw that a lot of the movie was just comments toward how bad white people are, and this and that, and by the end I just wanted to hurl the DVD out the window. Come on, I deserve respect too. I can't believe I actually spent money to be trash talked. Totally not worth my money or my time. Total waste of like 2 hours of my life.

oh dear god, where did the last hour of my life go?

[pezwhore-1 · 1/10 · 4 May 2005]

What a TERRIBLE film. The story, if you can call it a story, lasts 1 hour, 42 minutes long. Queen Latifa plays a single mother named Gina sharing a home with a friend who also seems to be a single mother. Money is incredibly tight since their move from Chicago, IL to Atlanta, GA, despite the fact that Gina drives a spanking new Ford Expedition and sends her daughter to a private, preppy music and art school. Latifa quits her job working for an Austrian named Jorge, played by Kevin Bacon, and gets a loan to purchase her own beauty shop in the "ghetto". From here the story descends into a massive blob of confused racial generalities and terrible one-liners - mostly comprised of comments regarding the only white stylist in Gina's saloon, Lynn (Alicia Silverstone).

At one point, Beauty Shop ceased to be funny... and that point was the opening credits - when the lights in the theater went down, and the little dancing popcorn man finished his dance with the hotdog guy in a desperate attempt to get you to buy something from the concession stand. Beauty Shop was just about as effective as the hotdog.

This movie was a complete waste of time. Not worth the 8 bucks to see it at a decent theater, not even worth the measely 2 dollars to see it at a cheap theater. Heck, if somebody had paid for me to see this film, I'd demand compensation for losing over an hour of my life to this terrible film.

Good Flick

[UrbanFilmCritic · 30 March 2005]

I really enjoyed this movie! And these words come from a complete pessimist of black films. I've never truly been fond of sequels but on this rare occasion Beauty Shop is arguably better than Barbershop 2.

The movies have several comparisons such as the ensemble effort and the moral values. Queen trades in Cedric the Entertainer, who played the older, wise yet hilarious barber for a female counterpart in Alfre Woodard. The white barber who couldn't catch a break is replaced by the white hairstylist with the same dilemma. Both films involve the financial hardships of trying to run a business while not being ran out of business. Unlike the original Barbershop films, Beauty Shop lacks the intensity but more than makes up for it with comedy.

And…the movie was funny! How could it fail? The support cast included comedians (or scene stealers) Sherri Shephard, Sheryl Underwood, Adele Givens, Ms. Laura and L'il JJ. But no one could compare with Kevin Bacon's performance as the Scandinavian stylist extraordinaire Jorge. At 50, he still looks like a man in his 30's. And while we're talking about the supporting cast, I can't forget to tell you about Keshia "L'il Rudy" Knight Pulliam. She's grown into a beautiful young woman and she's still a decent little actress. I just hope she doesn't go the dismal way of child stars and end up in the center on Hollywood Squares.

Who knew that when we saw Queen Latifah pushing those chess pieces off that large board in the Ladies First video that one day she would stand out as a gifted actress, singer and comedian. I guess she showed us

Fun to watch, but could've been more savvy

[wynterstail-914-126026 · 6/10 · 20 September 2021]

This is a watchable, likable enough film, with some stand out moments from Alfre Woodard and Djimon Honsou particularly. But the overplayed stereotypes just get embarrassing, for both the black and white characters. Especially abrasive is Alicia Silverstone's wannabe ghetto act combined with a hillbilly accent that's like a boot to the ear. Mean black girls and hapless, hopeless white folks do not make for a well rounded glimpse into the world of a black hair salon in Atlanta. They missed out on so much potential and went for the cheap laughs. Chicken and waffles for your wedding,an obsession with everyone's backside, and Alicia Silverstone twerking? Still, it's enough to pass an hour and a half pleasantly enough.

Stereotypes and crude jokes abound

[tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane · 3/10 · 16 November 2022]

I only gave this movie 2 more stars because of Queen Latifah. If it wasn't for her, it deserves 1 star. She plays Gina Norris, a single mom (she lost her husband) and hairstylist who moves from Chicago to Atlanta. She's tired of working for narcissist Jorge (Kevin Bacon), so she purchases her own salon. Cue the endless racial caricatures, dialogue revolving around sexual junk, and obnoxious behavior. I'm a black woman who's been getting my hair done by a stylist for many years, and this is not an accurate representation of how black women interact with one another in a salon. We don't gossip and talk about nonsense - we have intellectual discussions. I know Beauty Shop is meant to be a comedy, but the characters are just so ridiculous. Personally, I find black movies to be embarrassing. They're always filled with overacting and stereotypes. I can't think of a black movie - a comedy, to be specific - that's innovative and has clever humor. Every black movie/comedy after the 1980s I've seen has cursing, insults, threats of violence, sex jokes, poverty, men who are gangsters/treat their girlfriend or wife like crap/can't keep a job. Considering how impactful movies are in American society, I really do believe they play a substantial role in how people who aren't black perceive black people in the general public. I'm not saying every white film is a masterpiece, comedy or otherwise, because some of them are terrible, but I've noticed they often have characters who are unique, articulate, and fascinating more so than black films. Beauty Shop was easier to get through than a Madea movie (you need a bottle of aspirins handy if you're going to watch Madea), but it wasn't all that creative. The white girl (played by Alicia Silverstone) wanting to be black was just lame. It's sad to see Alfre Woodard, Octavia Spencer, and Keshia Knight Pulliam, who are all talented black actresses, playing in this cringe inducing mess. If you really want to see it, rent it from the library. It's not worth buying on DVD.

It's a feel-good funny!

[ladysong78 · 6/10 · 31 March 2005]

The plot feels too familiar and stalls occasionally. I generally enjoy Queen Latifah, but I felt that her performance fell a bit flat this time. I wanted to connect with her character but there just wasn't enough development within the story-line. However, Kevin Bacon and Alicia Silverstone more than make up for it. Bacon is amazing; amusing and repulsive simultaneously. And I wouldn't have believed Silverstone capable of a credible deep-southern accent or significant depth but she delivers a fabulously understated performance that should lead to at least a few more significant roles. The humor is well-written and delivered, although a bit cruder than I expected. Overall, I enjoyed this movie and will most likely rent it at some later point to see again. If you enjoyed 'Bringing Down the House', you will enjoy this film!

This movie is a really awful one!

[AdaFox · 1/10 · 6 June 2005]

Well...I thought it would be at least a bit funny but unfortunately it was not. I have not seen such a terrible movie for a long time. Do not waste your time. The main idea of this movie is completely stupid plus no action at all - just boring talks. I do not know how it is possible to make this kind of movies. For whom? Actors play are also ghastly, I wanted to cry when they tried to make fun. So, never again! I should also mention that I even can not classify this movie. It is neither a comedy nor a drama. It is a terrible mix of bad actors and bad ideas. Maybe I just did not really get this movie than try it yourself but I am afraid this case you would regret about wasted time.

Not bad for light-weight comedy

[frank_spicer · 6/10 · 21 April 2005]

This movie was better than the reviews I read by mainstream reviewers gave it. I think it was unfair to review this movie in the context of how it compared to Barbershop. I also thought it was unfair to rate this movie based on it's accuracy to African-American life and culture. This was a comedy and as a comedy it had it's funny portions and the story moved quickly enough for most people to survive the non-comedic moments. Will this movie be remembered 5 years from now? Most likely not but I enjoyed my two hours in the theater which is all I really expected from the movie. I predict this movie to be one of those which will do well in rental as one of those movies not quite worth $8.50 to a large segment of the world but worth $4 for a family to rent on a Friday night. Queen Latifah is her usual fun self to watch but she seemed a little overwhelmed carrying a movie solo. That said the best comedies usually have two strong comedic actors who play well off of each other. The producers did a disservice to her by not giving her a wingman for this picture.

Yet another unimaginative chick flick...

[gvf · 3/10 · 26 August 2006]

What was I thinking when I agreed to watch this movie with my girlfriend? She had read about it in some women's magazine and from then on she was dying to see it.

go figure....

So here's this movie about (black) female empowerment, a perfect world where men are either complete insensitive jerks or just this big hunk of a guy who with all his gratuitously displayed muscle can't even walk straight. No wait, there's more, did I mention the sissified, braided-hair, pro-female-agenda metrosexual who drinks his coffee from a china cup with his pinky spread apart?

To get one thing straight, I am neither misogynistic nor do I have issues with female empowerment, but this movie about a woman trying to get by in a supposedly still male-dominated world is almost insulting to any self-respecting man.

That said, let's move on to the few upsides of this movie. Mena Suvari and Alicia Silverstone, two of the hottest babes under the sun, together in one movie, and Mena Suvari's character getting a boob job... now there's something to enjoy for a guy. It's a shame Alicia Silverstone never really became that big a name. She definitely still has potential and has come a long, long way since the days of being the "Aerosmith chick" or the "Clueless" valley girl. Please please, movie executives, find it in your heart to give her more challenging roles! Mena Suvari is stunning as ever. She, too, has evolved far beyond the goody-goody girl of "American Pie" and "Sugar and Spice" and just looks fabulous. I think we'll be seeing a lot of her in the future.

Maybe it's because I'm a guy and "just don't get it" - but I can't see this movie rating anywhere above three points, despite very entertaining performances by Silverstone and Suvari. My apologies to the girl nation out there... or maybe not.

P.S.: When we were done watching the movie and after my gf sat through the rant I was giving her about how this movie distorts the image of the modern male, she just quipped "...but that's how men really are!" -- You'd better hope the verdict is still out on that.

Not a sequel

[sfriend-3 · 8/10 · 16 March 2005]

While it is a spin-off of Barber Shop, it is not a sequel. Feel-good movie that keeps you laughing. Good comedy that actually has a plot and story line.

The advanced screening I saw was full of all types of people, and everyone was laughing at many points throughout the movie.

Kevin Bacon, Alica Silverstone, Andy McDowell were strong supporting actors playing unpredictable roles - great casting.

Some confusing parts about the relationship of the "mother-in-law and her daughter." Sometimes you think, who is she and how are they related again. But other than that... much enjoyment.

it made me laugh so I liked it!

[punkin_flats · 7/10 · 26 August 2005]

OK, everybody- I know this was not Barbershop. But it was told from a woman's viewpoint and like another posting said, was more like "Chick-Lit"- lighthearted and don't take it too serious. I laughed a lot all the way through it. My husband laughed a lot also. There were a lot of African-American jokes that certainly went over my head, but like anybody who is in a setting where everybody but you seems to get the joke, you laugh along anyway and have a good time. Latifah seems so natural in the movie, you can imagine her really running a beauty shop and having to deal with difficult personalities of the staff, the moods of the regular customers, plus funny people on the street who just drop in or plain interrupt daily business. I liked it a lot and it left me with a good feeling when the credits rolled.

So bad you don't even want to diss it

[Adrienne85 · 1/10 · 14 October 2005]

What a great plot. Woohoo. Latifah gets fired by her wannabe-bad-boss from the beauty shop she was the bomb at, and then decides to open up her own beauty shop.

And she has to go through so much hassle. I mean, her husband died and she can't make ends meet. Also, she has to prove that she can DO it.

And then there's Alicia Sliverstone making a big scene about being white. This is 2005. Why do they make such a big deal about colors. In 1996 this movie might have been, erm, outrageous. Not.

And all the lines were so old. You know what they're gonna say before they've said it. And if you don't, you KNOW you've heard them before. Probably in another Latifah movie.

It's not worth it. I laughed when the cars parked outside her shop. That was it.