Coverage:

"BarberShop 2" is like a visit from an old friend. Plenty of camaraderie, good natured banter and put downs, and plenty of bittersweet moments. Thankfully the film doesn’t suffer from the common "not funny" aliment affecting most sequels. "BarberShop 2" is a hoot, and can stand alone on its own merits. Ice Cube once again stars as Calvin, the owner of a small barbershop located on the South side of Chicago. No longer in fear of losing his shop, it’s business as usual in the neighborhood mainstay. That’s until a money-hungry corporation plans on renovating the South Side with upscale coffee bars, video stores and a big-name chain hair shop named Nappy Cutz. The renovations threaten to destroy the community’s unique flavor, and ruin all the mom and pop businesses. The film also has a hint of social conscience as it flashes back to the night Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and Robert Kennedy’s address that calmed an angry Indianapolis crowd, while Chicago and other U.S. cities burned. To its credit, "BarberShop 2" remains fresh with its signature discussions, which at times can be explosive and outrageous, such as referring to the D.C. Sniper as the Jackie Robinson of crime, because serial killers are usual white. The film also takes time to plug Queen Latifah’s upcoming film "Beauty Shop," which is located next to Calvin’s. With plenty of attitude and richly drawn characters, "BarberShop 2" is a cut above most sequels.