Main Cast: Raymond Hitchcock, Billy B. Van, James J. Corbett, Louise Fazenda
Release Year: 1922
Plot
Musical comedy star Raymond Hitchcock portrayed the character of Dr. Arbutus Budd both on stage and on screen. The only problem with the screen version is that there was no singing, and little comedy. Dr. Budd is an eccentric beauty doctor who is facing financial ruin. An advertisement which shows him wearing a circus uniform is seen by a representative from Bolognia, a European principality. He believes this identifies Budd as a descendant of the Sizerella family and entices him into going to Bolognia by promising that a big inheritance is waiting. Budd goes, accompanied by his ward, Anna (Diana Allen), and her fiancé, Phil Briggs, who also happens to be his attorney (Laurence Wheat). But when he arrives in the country, he finds that his only inheritance is a family feud, and to resolve it he must fight a duel with the wicked Maldonado (Montagu Love). Budd's only out is if he marries Cremo (Louise Fadenza), the homely daughter of innkeeper Panatella (James J. Corbett). Luckily Budd is saved when his new skin lotion turns Cremo into a beauty. He returns to America with this latest invention, which is guaranteed to make him wealthy. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
Champaign-Urbana-based trio the Beauty Shop perform dark Americana dirges with wicked deadpan drawls. Singer/songwriter John Hoeffleur, bassist Ariane Peralta, and drummer Casey Smith perform acoustic rock with a bleak twang on their national release Yr Money or Yr Life, released in 2001. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
Gina Norris (Queen Latifah) is a widowed hairstylist that has moved from Chicago to Atlanta so her daughter, Vanessa (Paige Hurd) can attend a private music school. She's made a name for herself as a stylist, but after her self-centered boss (Bacon) berates her work, she leaves and sets up her own shop, purchasing a rundown salon.
She hires a range of stylists, including her rebellious sister-in-law, Darnelle (Keshia Knight Pulliam). The shop gets a wide range of clientele, including wives of professional athletes, and several wealthy white women. She also hires Joe (Hounsou), an electrician from Africa who's also skilled on the piano. Because the ex-boss Jorge, is jealous that his shop is losing clients to Gina's Shop, he hires a Health Inspector to find various ways to shut down Gina's business. But tragedy strikes when the shop gets destroyed and vandalized. When Willie (Lil' JJ) finds the Health Inspector and Gina's old boss on camera "talking" business he shows Gina the tape of the two. Later on that night, Gina goes to her old salon and tells him that she knows about his "little secret" and has a couple of guys cut off his hair.
Later on, a radio talk show host (whom they don't recognize as their favorite host to listen to every morning, DJ Helen) comes to the shop in desperation for a touch up and later gives Gina's Beauty shop a shout out live on the air.
Reviews for the film were mixed. It earned a 39% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the users, and a higher 54% from the critics, with the consensus being that the film itself was not the equal of Queen Latifah's strong performance.[2]Allmovie gave the film 3/5 stars, with reviewer Derek Armstrong saying that while the film sticks to the same formula which made the Barbershop films so successful, it still "bursts with life, having attracted a spectrum of enthusiastic performers and a script that exceeds broad character types."[3] At Metacritic, the film has averaged a 53 rating from critics, and an almost identical 5.4/10 rating from users.[4] The best reviews for the film have come from Yahoo! Movies, where the critics have given the film a B- average, and users helped it to earn a B+.[5]
Awards & nominations
2005 BET Comedy Awards
Outstanding Directing for a Theatrical Film — Bille Woodruff (nominated)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Theatrical Film — Queen Latifah (nominated)
Outstanding Theatrical Film (nominated)
Outstanding Writing for a Theatrical Film — Audrey Wells, Kate Lanier, Norman Vance Jr. (nominated)
2005 Black Movie Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Writing — Kate Lanier, Norman Vance Jr. (nominated)
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role — Queen Latifah (nominated)
