Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) Movie Reviews

Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) Movie Reviews

Enjoyed it more than I thought

I am never a fan of comedy movies having sequels and three-quels, very few can pull it off and when I saw the first trailer for this I wasn't excited at all. I ended up seeing this movie out of default. I wanted to see Jungle Book (but my friend wanted to take his boyfriend to see it so this was the only option LOL). I, pretty much, had low expectations going. I was very intrigued all the way through. About an hour in, I whispered to my friend "ummm...this is actually a really good movie."

Of course, like most films, it's not without its flaws but those are more subjective based on the individual's taste. But its nothing that cant be forgiven. There are some corny parts and some of the subject matter was a bit surface level but when it's a family film, I know that there not gonna go to in depth into politics, cheating, gang violence, etc. 

What I enjoyed the most about it, is that there was an ongoing story line outside of the theme of the Barbershop. Everyone involved got a chance to shine and you didn't feel like many of the characters were just there. A lot of the social topics that were tackled in each Barbershop scene was very surface level (which is one flaw that I stated before) but it kind of had to be because if you delved deeper than it would have turned into the writers/director trying to force their own opinion on the audience. But it was meant to just open the door for the conversation to continue.

The comedy did what it was supposed to do. There were many corny parts, where I felt like the actors were reaching and there were some parts where laughed out loud. 

My main gripe was with Nicki Minaj's character. She just played herself. She wasn't bad, it's just I'd be more impressed with her if she took a role that was the complete opposite of her hand as an artist. 

All in all, I would definitely recommend this film to anyone. It's a fun, family film that is 100% enjoyable if you watch it with no expectations.

Funny, Heartwarming, and Refreshing

When Barbershop came out in 2002, I felt it was a great comedy, because it was hilarious, and it had a great message, so naturally a belated sequel excited me. The cast from the old film is gone, except for Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer, who are back. Barbershop: The Next Cut is funny, contains a heartwarming message, and features a lot more depth than many would expect from a comedy. It should be noted now, I do feel that the original Barbershop was a better all around film.

Barbershop: The Next Cut as a comedy alone, isn't hilarious but is quite funny, and will have a few good moments of laughter, but nothing truly hilarious. From the comedy perspective, one character helps keep these films funny, and that's Cedric the Entertainer. Unfortunately, I watched the film comparing it to the original, and the original was clearly funnier, as the focus in "The Next Cut" was not on the comedy as much. The only problem with that is that in Barbershop the film was so funny, that when it switched to being serious, those moments resonated with the audience, where in this film they don't resonate as much.

The film does try to be serious quite often, which isn't a surprise, and in fact is one of the best elements of the film. However you take the message, it's a good message, and putting a message that we can all agree upon in a comedy makes it even better. The film does a really great job reflecting on the community structure of today, ironically though the message, while directed at poverty stricken places, isn't limited exclusively to one of place or group of people, we all can learn from this movie. 

As happened with Barbershop in 2002, "The Next Cut" has an unexpected amount of emotional depth. It's refreshing in the climate of modern comedies, where many of them are mechanical, that a comedy can show so much depth. The Next Cut, much like it's predecessor is able to be both funny and serious, making the moments when it is serious even more powerful. It's also nice to see a group with so much chemistry that they feel and look like a real community, so when they fight it feels real.

In the end Barbershop: The Next Cut is a really good comedy film, that does exactly what comedy should do, makes you laugh and teaches you life lessons along the way. The film is both funny, and emotional, which is really refreshing when some comedies are neither. The only thing for those who love the original Barbershop is that "The Next Cut", in my opinion, is not quite as good, but is extremely close. For anybody that wants a good relaxing time at the theater, this movie is a perfect choice.