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Cute and funny but nothing new or original...

Andrew Ellington | I'm kind of everywhere | 02/13/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I absolutely love Queen Latifah. She makes any movie worth watching in my humble opinion. It's a shame that Latifah aside `Beauty Shop' is rather dull. It's not that it doesn't bring the funny; it's just that it's all funny we've seen many times before. I understand that it's harder and harder these days to find an original concept for anything, but really, watching `Beauty Shop' is like major deja vu. I've seen this done almost word for word before, I swear it.

The story revolves around Gina, a hairstylist who's fed up with working for the man (that man being the snobbish Jorge). Gina decides it's time to take her talent to the next level and open her own salon. Jorge of course doesn't like this much and begins working to shut her down. Things are difficult, being a single mother and all but she has the support of her friends and this gives her strength to push through. In the meantime Gina is given a huge opportunity when her own conditioner recipe (would it be called that?) is brought to a big wig corporation by a wealthy client. Things look to be going up for Gina, but will they stay up?

Latifah is funny as Gina. I just love her to death and she always creates the most likable characters. Even if her movies are all B-Grade at best (`Chicago' and 'Set it Off' aside) she always makes the experience worth it. The real standout here though is Kevin Bacon who is obviously overjoyed to be hamming it up as Jorge. His blonde locks and wispy attitude is just such a huge departure for him it's hilarious to see. I don't normally like Bacon but he had me in stitches. Alicia Silverstone also makes her return to the screen here, but her impression is less than impressive. Her accent is obnoxious and I found myself wishing she would get off the screen.

The cast is huge here with names like Andie MacDowell, Mena Suvari, Alfre Woodard and Djimon Hounsou showing up every now and then. Everyone does a decent job with what they are given and they all seem to work well with one another, feeding off the others energy.

As far as comedies go this one is funny, it's just very unoriginal. It doesn't mean that you can't find enjoyment out of this one since the laughs are there, just know that you'll have laughed at these gags before. If you're a fan of Latifah or anyone else in the cast then by all means check this one out. I have yet to see either of the `Barbershop' movies but I really need too since I hear they are a laugh riot. I'm sure they are better than this film as far as plot goes."