March 29, 2005 - People always say that reviewing movies must be the greatest job in the world. Admittedly, it ain't a bad way to make your living. The downside, I always say, is that you see movies you would never see if you weren't a critic, dreadful garbage that you never would have subjected yourself to were it not required viewing for review. On the flip side, however, sometimes you see a movie that you never would have seen, that you were dreading seeing, and you are pleasantly surprised. This is a pretty rare occurrence in the film critic world, but lo and behold, Beauty Shop is one of those films. Better than it has any right to be, this is a smart, funny, well-scripted, well directed, highly entertaining flick that blows away the two Barbershop films it spun off from.
Beauty Shop follows the character of Gina Norris (Queen Latifah), who we were introduced to in Barbershop 2. She's left Chicago and now lives with her daughter, sister and niece Darnelle (Keshia Knight Pulliam) in Atlanta. Gina works at a swanky hair salon known as Jorge's (pronounced Whore-hey's) where she has become one of the most popular stylists. The salon's regular customers include Terri Green (Andie MacDowell) and Joanne Marcus (Mena Suvari). Gina works hard, but can't get much respect from her egocentric boss Jorge (Kevin Bacon). Lynn (Alicia Silverstone) is the shampoo girl, who's actually a talented stylist if Jorge would only give her a chance. Gina and Jorge butt heads and she finally gets fed up, quitting and taking Lynn and some clients with her. Gina scrapes together what money she can and gets a loan to open her own salon on the south side of Atlanta. The place gets off to a rough start, but Gina and her gang gradually turn the place into the latest big thing in Atlanta. Of course, Jorge is out to sabotage her success. Gina also gets some help and develops a romance with the sexy electrician who lives above the salon, Joe (Djimon Hounsou), who also happens to play a mean piano and offers Gina's music loving daughter some pointers. Little by little, Gina's Salon is bringing in white and black clients, including some of Jorge's best customers.
Unlike Barbershop, Beauty Shop is not trying to be political or make controversial statements on the world's situations or how "the man" is suppressing the characters. In fact, in one scene, Gina is applying for a loan at a bank in which she is denied. She plays the "race card" and the banker immediately calls her on it. Gina actually looks as if she realizes the woman is right, and looks for another way to charm the banker into a loan. I found it refreshing to see a scene play out that didn't go down the expected route, portraying the banker as a villainous white character, "the man" keeping the brother down.
Another strong suit in the story is the character of James (Bryce Wilson), a muscle bound hunk who draws the attention of all the ladies when he comes to work at the salon. James is into fashion and looking his best, an example of the growing metrosexual trend you might have read about in GQ or Vogue-type magazines. Everyone in the salon, except for Lynn, immediately pegs him as gay, but again Beauty Shop surprises and avoid going down the clichéd and well worn roads these kinds of comedies usually travel.
Latifah's Gina is the backbone of this story and she holds the film together and balances the characters out. She's strong-willed and tough talking, but she's also got a humanity about her character that prevents her from being simply another brash loud-mouthed know-it-all character like we've also seen so many times before. She's got a heart and her relationship with her daughter is sweet. As her romance develops with Joe, it feels like a natural evolution instead of a forced necessity.
Alicia Silverstone deserves special mention for an amusing performance that is unlike anything we've seen from her lately. Her accent is a little grating at times, apparently taken from an actual Blue Ridge Georgia accent, which I can't claim to know the accuracy of. Her character is fun and she plays the odd man out with an amusing grace. When she struts her stuff on the dance floor, Silverstone gives Beyonce and Lil' Kim a run for their money.
Director Billie Woodruf as well as the screenwriters involved with this film deserve all the credit in the world. Instead of going with the usual, predictable story and resting on the laurels of the Barbershop films, they have strived for something more. They have created a story that is entertaining as well as thoughtful. Instead of reaching for the easy laughs, Beauty Shop creates situations and characters you care about and identify with. The laughs are there, but they are icing on the cake instead of the only thing holding together the speed bumps of a weak story.
Beauty Shop takes a conventional story and gives it a heart, a brain and multi-faceted characters, placing them in a wide variety of situations. It's formulaic, but it works that formula with skill. It's a film that whole families can enjoy, regardless of race, creed or whatnot. For something I was certainly not looking forward to, Beauty Shop was an entertaining, very pleasant surprise.
Unlike Barbershop, Beauty Shop is not trying to be political or make controversial statements on the world's situations or how "the man" is suppressing the characters. In fact, in one scene, Gina is applying for a loan at a bank in which she is denied. She plays the "race card" and the banker immediately calls her on it. Gina actually looks as if she realizes the woman is right, and looks for another way to charm the banker into a loan. I found it refreshing to see a scene play out that didn't go down the expected route, portraying the banker as a villainous white character, "the man" keeping the brother down.
Another strong suit in the story is the character of James (Bryce Wilson), a muscle bound hunk who draws the attention of all the ladies when he comes to work at the salon. James is into fashion and looking his best, an example of the growing metrosexual trend you might have read about in GQ or Vogue-type magazines. Everyone in the salon, except for Lynn, immediately pegs him as gay, but again Beauty Shop surprises and avoid going down the clichéd and well worn roads these kinds of comedies usually travel.
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Alicia Silverstone deserves special mention for an amusing performance that is unlike anything we've seen from her lately. Her accent is a little grating at times, apparently taken from an actual Blue Ridge Georgia accent, which I can't claim to know the accuracy of. Her character is fun and she plays the odd man out with an amusing grace. When she struts her stuff on the dance floor, Silverstone gives Beyonce and Lil' Kim a run for their money.
Director Billie Woodruf as well as the screenwriters involved with this film deserve all the credit in the world. Instead of going with the usual, predictable story and resting on the laurels of the Barbershop films, they have strived for something more. They have created a story that is entertaining as well as thoughtful. Instead of reaching for the easy laughs, Beauty Shop creates situations and characters you care about and identify with. The laughs are there, but they are icing on the cake instead of the only thing holding together the speed bumps of a weak story.
Beauty Shop takes a conventional story and gives it a heart, a brain and multi-faceted characters, placing them in a wide variety of situations. It's formulaic, but it works that formula with skill. It's a film that whole families can enjoy, regardless of race, creed or whatnot. For something I was certainly not looking forward to, Beauty Shop was an entertaining, very pleasant surprise.
IGN's Rating for Beauty Shop
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