Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Far from Chicago, hairdresser Gina Norris has relocated to Atlanta with her daughter and has quickly established herself as a rare talent in her profession. But after repeatedly butting heads with her shady, over-the-top boss, Jorge, Norris sets out to create her own salon -- even snagging a few of Jorge's employees and clients. Now, Jorge will do anything to shut her down.
Beauty Shop is a serviceable spin-off of the Barbershop franchise that transplants the ensemble comedy formula to an Atlanta beauty salon setting. Queen Latifah anchors the film with charisma and solid comedic timing, elevating material that is otherwise fairly formulaic — the small-business-versus-shady-boss plot is well-worn territory. The cinematography is functional but unremarkable, fitting the breezy comedy tone without any particular visual ambition. As a spin-off it inherits rather than innovates on its premise, and the narrative beats (underdog entrepreneur triumphs, romantic subplot resolves neatly) are predictable. The ending delivers crowd-pleasing satisfaction without surprise. A pleasant, undemanding watch carried largely by its cast.