Beauty Shop
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Movie Reviews of Beauty Shop
Movie Review: They are having a great time down at Gina's salon in "Beauty Shop"
Summary: 4 Stars
"Beauty Shop" is a feel good movie. Queen Latifah feels good about herself, which is something I knew going into this movie. I have not see the "Barber Shop" movies, although they are somewhere in my queue. But "Beauty Shop" I checked out as soon as came out on DVD because it had Queen Latifah (I did not know her character was in the second one). Alfre Woodard being in the cast was another good sign, although given the size of the cast you knew she was going to get a bit lost in the festivities, especially since both Alicia Silverstone and Andie McDowell appear in the credits above Woodard, which is not right. But this movie is really Queen Latifah and the members of her chorus, so everybody else is going to be given one or two good moments and then join in on the ensemble fun.
Her majesty plays Gina, who started out in the south side of Chicago doing thing in the salon next door to the boys in "Barbershop 2: Back in Business." Now she is in Atlanta, a widow with a young daughter who plays classical piano at a pretty good music school. Gina is working in a salon for Jorge (Kevin Bacon), but she is too real for his pretentious and she walks. She gets a loan to open up her own salon, mainly because she knows how to style hair, especially for women who do not know what to do with it. As a matter of fact, this movie makes it clear that Gina can handle the business. It is the business end of the business that threatens her slice of the American dream. Don King hair the woman can handle; it is a bad electrical system and the local building inspector that she can do without.
There are all sorts of plot elements that I could describe, as well as detailing the specific characters, but none of those matter. Gina wants to create a successful business in an environment where everybody wants to either work or get their hair done. Yes, there are moments of crisis and confrontation, but I really think the key scenes are when things are "normal" at Gina's beauty shop and all that is going on is that Gina and the girls are gabbing while they work, usually listening to DJ Helen (Adele Givens), and sometimes stopping to watch Oprah and contemplate the top of the mountain. You know full well that Gina is going to get her shop and make it successful, and if she wants Joe (Djimon Hounsou) then she is going to get Joe. "Beauty Shop" is an enjoyable movie where you just want to be sitting in front of the fourth wall so you can be in on the fun at Gina's salon, even if you do not fit in half as well as Lynn.
Movie Review: Queen Laftifah is a Phenomenal Woman
Summary: 4 Stars
Gina works for Jorge in a swanky hair salon for the rich and artificial. Her clients love her. Her fellow employees love her. Jorge is constantly on her back about how it is his salon and she represents him. On a particularly nasty day she quits telling him she's going to start her own salon. Jorge laughs not believing she can make it on her own or without him.
After working her salon magic on a bank agent Gina secures a loan and buys a run down lost in the 80s beauty parlour which she remodels with what little money she has. Things are going great, the clientele is growing and her staff are happy. She might even get a huge cosmetics deal with Cover Girl. Problem is the building inspector keeps showing up and fining her for things she doesn't have the money to repair. The threat of having to close her doors looms every day.
Beauty shop is produced by phenomenal woman Queen Latifah who also stars as the lead character. Other headliners are Kevin Bacon as the egotistical Jorge, Djimon Hounsou as the electrician piano player who lives above the shop, Alicia Silverstone as the quirky stylist Gina steals from Jorge's studio, Andie MacDowell who plays the rich co-dependent customer and Sheri Shepherd as a pregnant stylist who stays on when Gina takes over.
This isn't a split your gut laughter kind of movie but it is a hoot. Even if just to see Kevin Bacon dressed up in sparkly clothes and permed hair. This is definitely a girl power movie with lots of positive content for plus size women. One of my favourites is in the opening when Gina is getting ready for work and asks her daughter for her opinion on how she looks.
"Do you think these pants make my butt look big?" asks Gina.
"Yeah."
"Perfect!" says Gina.
Beauty Shop is a comical look at one woman's attempt to make it on her own and what she can do in the face of adversity if she has a dream, works hard, takes a chance, has friends and doesn't give up on her ideals. All while setting an example for her preteen daughter. Beauty Shop is worth watching. Reviewed by M. E. Wood
Movie Review: great funny southern movie, subtle reverse racial sub-plots
Summary: 4 Stars
I have just watched this movie for the 5th time and love it. I am an Atlanta girl and think this movie perfectly captures the Southern lifestyle. Yes, it is about an African-American Beauty shop, but there are so many reverse racial plots (Vanessa talking about white classical music to the little boy), the 2 Black styists who would not work with Lynn the white stylist). Queen rises above it on many levels, and what I like the most, teaches the people around her to be respectful of each other. I am over 50 and did not find the racial or sexual talk to be offensive. It was funny and appropriate to the situations. There is nothing I would not let my grandchildren see (maybe the sexy dance Lynn does). My husband and I have seen this movie 5-6 times each and we both think it is funny. We think it is a regional thing, because our friends from the South think it is funny, but people up North in Ohio and michigan didn't think it was funny when we watched it last winter. We are not African-American but we really liked the African-American slang aand culture in the movie. Kevin Bacon has captured the tone and attitude of the upscale salon owners that I have met....oh so haughty and snobby. And I have friends like Mena S. And Alica Silverstone...they are just like that, believe me! This movie is a realistic slice of life of Atlanta, that is for sure! Not an Oscar winner, but it sure is FUN!Movie Review: A decent way to kill 90 minutes
Summary: 4 Stars
Folks, don't expect Shakespeare here. This is not (nor do I think it was intended to be) a comedy filled with depth or messages to or about the black community, etc. It's just a pleasant, loosely connected "story" (series of vignettes is more accurate) about Latifah and her friends at an Atlanta (actually, just the exteriors were filmed there and a scene in a park) beauty shop with a lot of amusing moments thrown in for good measure. Latifah pulls it off with her strong personality and the actress who plays her 12 year old daughter is one to watch for, but as for the often stupid supporting characters (this is not one of Alfre Woodward's better moments) and crazy antics that don't always make sense- just relax and leave your brains at the door while you pick up a cool one and laugh after a hard day's work.
At a recent academy awards ceremony, Chris Rock lampooned black movies like this and Barbershop and said "What's next- a movie called "laundromat?' Careful Chris, don't give them any ideas!
Movie Review: HOLLA!!
Summary: 4 Stars
I am not black. I am not a woman. I have never had a weave or extensions, and I try to stay out of the ghetto as much as possible.
Yet I got a kick out of Beauty Shop for some reason???
The script itself is not all that strong, but the performances by QL and the rest of the ensemble cast are watchable and engaging.
Props to Kevin Bacon. His outrageous and flamboyant Jorge' is a nice departure from his other roles and he comes across as quite convincing in the part.
The movie only gets 3 stars from me because the storyline is quite conventional and played out. However, for the most part the jokes are funny and the actors deliver them nicely.... so tack on an extra star for that.
While it won't win any awards, "Beauty Shop" is pure mindless fun.