Set Visit Report: Barbershop: The Next Cutby Justine Browning
March 31, 2016
It’s been almost fifteen years since Barbershop became a surprise hit. A sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) and a spinoff Beauty Shop (2005) were subsequently released. Well, those films didn’t top the original, they showed there’s enough of a fan base to sustain a franchise.
Barbershop: The Next Cut aims to recapture what drew fans to this world and characters initially while bringing a fresh and culturally relevant edge.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee from a script by Kenya Barris (Blackish) and Tracy Oliver, Barbershop: The Next Cut will hits theaters on April 15, 2016.
Among the returning cast are Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, Anthony Anderson, Jazsmin Lewis, and Sean Patrick Thomas. New cast members include Oscar winner Common, Regina Hall, Nicki Minaj, Chyna Layne, Michael Rainey Jr., Deon Cole, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lamorne Morris, J.B. Smoove, Tyga, Margot Bingham, and Isaiah John.
Last summer, BlackFilm.com had the chance to visit the Atlanta set of the comedy and speak with the writers, director Malcolm Lee and the film’s talented ensemble. Here’s what we found out about the highly awaited flick.
Social Issues Play a Role
Though the film is shot in Atlanta, the Chicago setting remains – this was important to the cast and filmmakers. “What’s going on with the violence in Chicago and knowing that some of this story is surrounding that topic.” Common said. “As much as it’s a comedy, it’s still [gets] a message out that there’s something going on with the city of Chicago. It’s a bad situation.”
The Storyline is Heavy
The rampant violence and crime in Chicago isn’t just mentioned, it plays a role in the overall plot. Lee went into detail about the film’s weighty story:
One of the things that we’re focusing on in the film is the gang violence that’s occurring now in Chicago. Ice Cube’s son is one that’s being recruited by the gangs and he is having to, not only protect the barbershop, but protect his son from it. One of the things that they come up with as a shop and as a community is to implement a 48 hour cease-fire in which they’re going to give out free haircuts and stylings so that they can get people to rally around the idea of peace.
The Script Has Heart
“Great comedies, great stories have some substance to them.” Common noted. “It’s a franchise that’s respected, that has cultural relevance.” The Oscar-winning musician also joked about he was almost moved to tears by the script. “I can’t say I was crying but I was moved,” he said. “I felt like it was going something poetic. It’s a well told story.”
The Shop Going Co-Ed Makes for Laughs
The shop going co-ed makes for an interesting dynamic. “It’s about how the guys and the girls have to coexist,” Regina Hall said. “They’ve never had a unisex shop before. “They’re all going through transitions but it’s fun.” she added. “There are a lot of female points of view that all the guys have to deal with.”
Sexualization of Women in the Media is Discussed
Hall’s character Angie gives a speech regarding the collective that’s going on between “good girls and hoes.” There’s a debate that plays out surrounding the Michelle Obamas of the world versus the Amber Roses.
“I don’t think she’s particularly judgmental but she’s very observant and sees where it is at this point.” King said. “She makes some analogies between teacher income vs. stripper income.”
Cedric Improvised Freely
The ability to improvise has always been important to Cedric when crafting a character and Lee certainly took that into account. “I use the script as a great outline to know what the story is and basically what the writers trying to convey,” Cedric said. “I have the freedom with this character, as a comedian – I could improv it. I kind of internalize this character, Eddie.”
Being able to perform with such freedom is how the star prefers to work overall. “That’s great as an actor, to be able to be free to just say stuff off the dome,” he said. “And to have a director like Malcolm be able to get it and say, ‘Alright, cool. Do that’ As long as it leads us to the next beat of the story, it’s fine.”
Writers Planned for Improv
“We kinda wrote it with improv in mind, like more of a blueprint,” screenwriter Tracey Oliver said. “At the end of the day, my name’s gonna go on as ‘written by’ and [the actors] made it 10 times funnier.”
