Barbershop

A modest, personable slice of south side Chicago life, Barbershop is a comedy with a sense of community, populated by 3-D personalities that break out of their sometimes clichéd character molds. Ice Cube stars as Calvin Palmer, the reluctant inheritor of his family's tonsorial storefront--a neighborhood staple for 40-plus years. Although he's losing money and secretly considering selling the place, over the course of one day in the shop Cube begins to see why his father and grandfather were so willing to struggle to keep the place alive as a touchstone for their depressed part of town. Meaningful without being preachy, the movie struggles a little with a slapstick-like secondary plot and fails to patch some logical loopholes (if the shop is struggling, why is it full of customers and seven barbers?). But these impediments are offset by the wonderful characters--played by Cedric the Entertainer, Anthony Anderson, Troy Garity, Sean Patrick Thomas, and rapper Eve, among others. Recommended.[Note: DVD extras include commentary by director Tim Story, producers Robert Teitel and George Tillman, Jr., and writer Don D. Scott; “The Hair Club” featurettes: “The Final Cut” making-of (19 min.), “Set, Press and Style” on production design (6 min.), “Finishing Touches” on costumes (6 min.) and “Hairdos and Don'ts” on hairstyles (7 min.); seven deleted scenes with optional director commentary; five minutes of outtakes; the “Barber School” interactive trivia game with questions read onscreen by cast members; the music video “Trade it All” by Fabolous featuring P. Diddy and Jagged Edge; a photo gallery (with cast, film and behind-the-scenes sections) and a trailer. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an overall winning comedy.] (R. Blackwelder)