I've enjoyed both installments of the "Barbershop" brand, although I would give slightly higher credit to this second film. A little bit more heart, a little bit more of a serious side to the story, but still plenty of laughs. Several of the characters here are more filled out.Ice Cube is not Laurence Olivier, but he's pleasant enough on screen; I hope he continues to play in a mix of roles so as not to become stereotyped. Cedric the Entertainer is, indeed, pretty entertaining here. Sean Patrick Thomas is an underrated actor, although this role was far from his best. Michael Ealy is almost certainly the best actor in the bunch. Kenan Thompson...well...he's okay. And, Queen Latifah is very appealing on the big screen.Don't worry, you're not going to have to wade in too deep here, but there is a decent story about "character". And surrounding the serious story are lots of belly laughs...and not just Cedric's belly. Well worth a watch, even though it probably won't end up on your DVD shelf.

CUBE Does It AgainBarbershop 2: Back in Business is a great sequel, one which delivers fresh, subversive laughs. Sure the plot is just about the same as the first, but the movie still entertains and the cast is even better since we have a few new characters, such as Queen Latifah who plays Gina, the owner of another barbershop near Calvin's. Ice Cube returns as Calvin Palmer, the owner of a very popular barbershop on the Chicago Southside. The entire cast does return, and offers something a little new to the film, surely Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) for in this film he rambles about the Kobe Bryant trial, R. Kelly and Michael Jackson as well as a few others. Eve returns as Teri, Sean Patrick Thomas, Michael Ealy, Troy Garity and more. I should also point out that this installment is directed by a different director, Kevin Rodney Sullivan who made his debut with this film and he keeps the franchise going more than well. Barbershop 2: Back In Business is rated PG-13 for Language, Sexual Material and Brief Drug References. The language is a bit bawdy and rough, there's also sexual innuendo nothing explicit though. The film has already been a hit and surely deserves to be one, I'm not too sure if it's better than the first but it sure is as good. Head down to the theatre and check out Barbershop 2.

What is the name of the Tu Pac song that was playing in the scene when Ice Cube walks in the shop? That song was hot, however, I can't find that CD any where. I need to know so that I can buy it. It is not on the Barbershop 2 soundtrack. What is the name of the Tu Pac song that was playing in the scene when Ice Cube walks in the shop? That song was hot, however, I can't find that CD any where. I need to know so that I can buy it. It is not on the Barbershop 2 soundtrack. What is the name of the Tu Pac song that was playing in the scene when Ice Cube walks in the shop? That song was hot, however, I can't find that CD any where. I need to know so that I can buy it. It is not on the Barbershop 2 soundtrack.

Spoilers herein.I'm pretty sensitive to the social implications of black films. Some of us worked pretty hard to provide means for black voices to speak to their own (and other) issues and audiences. Gone are the days where a white establishment could exploit bug-eyed, stupid, violent stereotypes of blacks. Now blacks do it to themselves, which - forgive me - I see as slight progress.That's why I was surprised by this project. Sure, about 3/4's of it is the same pandering we see everywhere, especially with the women. And most of that is rooted in one of the three overarching film formulas we continue to swallow in films of all sorts: small guy, big guy, small guy's purity wins.And we have the smarmy but slick moralizing: the gangster is really getting his GED; the 'white' guy is accepted back into the fold; various relationships turn out to be 'normal.' The owner at the last minute doesn't sell out, even gains converts.But under it all is a sensitivity to community and history that I found to actually be as pure as the values referenced. It doesn't occupy much screen time, but because it anchors the relationship of the film to the real world, it transmutes everything we see. Its the reaction of a few men, men we already know by then, to the King riots of years before. In that instant, we see humans not puppets. And we see the whole deal in economical, cinematic terms. Spike Lee, take note... there's a dignity in this that you've never achieved. Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.