Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)

Waste of time

The Worst Film Ever

Just perfect...

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

i think this movie is the best movie for ice cub be cause it make you fell good and make you like you in the hood live that great life so as a fan for this movie i can say its the best movie i have see in my life i love this movie a lot and i tell to any one did not watch it yet to get up and watch it he is really great movie

I do not mean to imply that I was surprised at how well this sequel came off. Generally sequels pale in comparison to the original and just as generally, the public expects less.Hats off to the sequel to Barbershop which I found to be quite pleasing and enjoyable. The sequel is not ambitious and plot-wise is rather formulaic. What makes this work however, is the history, both of the characters as well as of African-Americans, that is seamlessly woven into the story to flesh out the characters and give the viewer a chance to understand the motivations behind their actions.A very interesting example is the way Isaac, the only white barber, is treated in the sequel. I submit that Ice-Cube is trying to give the audience a glimpse of what it must be like to be the minority in a given work situation. Instead of not balancing the opinion by only showing the effects this would have on a minority, he made a white man the minority and showed how exasperating and ultimately demeaning this kind of behavior can have on the oppressor as well as the one being oppressed.There were good jokes all around but somehow I found myself less interested in the laughs and more interested in the presentation of the message. Some may feel it descended into schmaltz, i.e., let's live together in peace, love and respect for the differences of your fellow man, etc. Conceding that these messages tend to be sentimental, when we look at what is happening today, this is infinitely more important a message than reinforcing the same old stereotypes.It is also wonderful to see the incomparable (and fine!) Harry J. Lennix. Even though he played the protagonist, he nonetheless elevated the production with his sterling portrayal of the businessman whose main concern is making money at the expense of the rich historic tradition of the neighborhood.Worthy outing indeed!

'Barbershop 2: Back in Business' isn't quite as funny as the first 'Barbershop,' but it still has that same freeform looseness that made the original such a crossover hit. As with the earlier film, 'Back in Business' is little more than a string of conversations held together by the barest minimum of a storyline. Calvin's shop is a neighborhood institution steeped in tradition, with a long and honorable history of providing conversation and companionship along with its services. In this installment, the shop faces a threat from a posh new haircutting franchise that is opening up across the street as part of a local redevelopment plan. It's a classic case of David vs. Goliath, with Calvin (Ice Cube) and his cohorts taking on the two-headed giant of corrupt politicians and corporate greed.The plot is always the least of the matters in the 'Barbershop' films; what counts is the playful interaction amongst the various characters, as well as the shrewd, sharp-eyed and often acerbic observations made by the resident jokester, Eddie, marvelously played by Cedric the Entertainer. Eddie is not afraid to take on any number of 'sacred cows' in the black community even if it means offending certain members of the audience. The only complaint I have about Cedric is that he mumbles so much that it is often hard to understand what it is he's saying. Still, the scene in which he goes toe-to-toe and mano-a-mano with Queen Latifah is alone worth the price of admission. As Calvin, Ice Cube once again provides the solid center of sanity and rationality around which all the craziness can swirl.The material isn't as fresh the second time around, but 'Barbershop 2' provides a few good laughs, some decent sentiment and a chance to spend some additional time with a group of characters who know how to have a little fun with life even when life itself doesn't always make that so easy to do.

I've read the comments and I've watched both movies (Barbershop I and Barbershop II). What surprised me in the comments was how soon we forget about the HEAT that Ice Cube took after Barbershop I was released. These films are true examples of how many Chicago West side or South side barbershops are run when owned by young blacks. (aside from the fact that you don't have a wall between the beauty shop and barber shop). It's usually all done under the same roof because 'guys get their hair braided' and 'women get their hair faded'. The 'zingers' had to be quick and subtle in order to get pass the critics and the 'victims'.What Ice Cube did with the opening series of black and white SNAPSHOTS was GREAT. He let the audience's mind wander and say things like 'Yeah, What ever happen to so-and-so?', without Cedric having to be accused of saying the wrong thing. That was a nice touch. I gave it a B+.