In  2002, Barbershop emerged as a surprise hit, so it's no surprise that two years later a sequel is back for a trim. Not that I mind. I found the first film very engaging - save for an unecessary subplot or two. What I really admired about it was it's nerve. You wouldn't think a comedy about a Chicago barbershop would be thought-provoking, but if you'll pardon the pun, much of the subject matter was pretty edgy.
 
In Barbershop 2, Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube) once again sees to the day to day operations of his Barbershop - a Chicago southside landmark in which clients don't only visit to get their haircut. They also come to talk, and it is these conversations that really keeps the film abuzz, particularly when Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) is the orchestrating  the fat-chewing. The conflict of the film arrives in the form of Nappy Cutz, a corporate hairstyling chain store being built across the street from Calvin's place.
 
Now being a business owner myself, I could feel the tension and understand the emotions that come into play in situations such as this. I've long been a supporter of the independent and would much rather shop at the mom and pop store. This isn't to say I'm not guilty of occasionally feeding the corporate monster, in a pinch. Sometimes in today's world, you don't have a choice. Barbershop 2 is a good shot in the arm and somewhat inspirational to those who own independent businesses, and I certainly enjoyed that aspect of the movie.
 
Ice Cube is once again likable as Calvin, a working man who simply wants to provide for his family. Cedric the Entertainer is an absolute riot as Eddie, and we even get a little insight into this character's past through flashbacks. The rest of the cast have more or less grown into the characters that we have come to expect following the first film. Sean Patrick Thomas' Jimmy James has become a politician's aid while Michael Ealy's Ricky Nash has moved forward and left a world of crime behind him. Dinka (Leonard Earl Howze) is now a ladie's man, but sadly there is very little of him in Barbershop 2.  Troy Garity's Isaac Rosenberg  is now the ace barber he always claimed to be, and he proves it with his dazzling chops. Eve is back as Terri Jones, and her character pretty much remains the same, although she is clearly more independent. Her abrasive attitude is merely a self defense mechanism. There are also new faces on display here including the sassy Gina (played by Queen Latifah), who will go on to star in her own spinoff movie Beauty Shop. And while this character can tend to be a little irritating, I wasn't nearly as annoyed by her as I expected to be. Her advertised exchange of insults with Cedric brings the funny.
 
Barbershop also benefits from lopping off some of the scenarios that slowed the first film down. There are no slapstick style ATM thefts and no long, drawn out sequences in which cops sniff around Calvin's looking for ex-cons to bust (although Tom Wright  does return for a humorous little cameo as detective Williams).
 
On the other hand, Barbershop 2 isn't as provocative as the first movie. It doesn't take as many chances in terms of controversial dialogue and some of the film, particularly Calvin's big speech about selling out, is a little on the heavy-handed side. The movie is also a little sloppier in it's grooming and style - it was hard to shake the notion that the project was slapped together in a hurry.
 
While not as sharp as the first film, there's much to enjoy in Barbershop 2. We love these characters and it gets across an important message. You can chalk up another good hair day for Ice and the crew.