SparkMore
n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
InformationRap
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Hayleigh Joseph
This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.
Phillipa
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
screechy_jim
Reviewing a film in 2017 for a movie released 2014 is something I rarely do so I'll make this quick. The listed IMDb review status is 5.9 at the time of writing and this is a pretty accurate score in my opinion.Its a good film, the acting direction cast screen play is all great and its an enjoyable watch. The plot is good and there are good developments as the movie progresses, but unfortunately some lazy writing really spoils what could have been an 8/10 score. By this I mean there are simply too many occasions where the plot is advanced through implausible and unbelievable situations. You tend to see this more in Movies written by second rate screen writers who don't quite have the ability to flesh out a plot properly, or in cases where deadlines or costs are tight, and unfortunate measures have to be employed to bring things into line. This can work in some cases, but not when the progression of the plot is essential to the essence of the movie as it is here.All in all, it's still not a bad film, but I think the rating is a realistic one.
Tss5078
They say that serial killers are driven to kill and are unable to stop, but Eugene Van Wingerdt (Scott Glenn) did stop. He stopped nearly thirty years ago and moved away to a small town, where he became the local barber and beloved member of the local community. One day, out of the blue, the son of the cop who originally investigated his crimes, tracks him down. The cop, posing as a budding serial killer, wants advice from Eugene, who continuing to claim he's not who the boy thinks he is. Eugene feels sorry for him and forms a bond with the young man, trying to lead him away from a life of crime, but as he does, will those old feelings come back to the surface, or is Eugene really just a misunderstood old man? The premise of the new independent film, The Barber, is certainly unique and to me it seemed as though there were many different directions this film could have gone in, but the path chosen, was the road less traveled, and the result was just a really boring and predictable story. This is one of those film where nothing really happens until the end, and by that point, the viewer is just so bored and sick of the whole thing that they just want it to be over. Scott Glenn stars and is far too old to be believable. I can understand wanting to be active and not simply take on the role of grandpa, but a mentor for a serial killer, it just doesn't fit. Glenn is paired with newcomer Chris Coy, who honestly couldn't act his way into a high school play, much less play a character with duel personalities. By the end of this film, I literally cringed every time the guy opened his mouth. The story here is solid, but the way producers go about telling it and the people they cast to star in it leave a lot to be desired.
Seth_Rogue_One
First I'd just like to say that the plot-summary on this page is inaccurate, albeit not far from what it is about it's still inaccurate.What is true is that it is a serial killer themed thriller which starts with a wannabe serial killer meeting the real deal.I can't go into any details without starting to spoil stuff but there are many twists and turns throughout the movie.Luckily these twists aren't the typical random twists that sometimes Hollywood scriptwriters tend to throw in in last minute to shock the viewer and think that they are clever but doesn't make sense with what we've just witnessed.They all make a fair amount of sense actually in the end so that's a definite plus.And Scott Glenn is as I said really nice to see in a lead again, a underrated actor, Chris Coy in the other lead-role is also good.It's not a perfect movie, it does feel like they didn't have much budget or time to deal with and some characters aren't fleshed out as they could have been but it does entertains and yeah I'd watch it again.
quincytheodore
An alleged veteran is forced to come out of hiding by unforeseeable circumstances, he must employ his skill once more to overcome the problem. No, this is not John Wick or Taken. The Barber is more of a noir detective movie that matches two different characters with hidden identities. The two are embroiled in a quite interesting mind game, however the plot relies too heavily on far-fetched plot devices and coincidences which feels underwhelming and contrived at latter half.The Barber Eugene (Scott Glenn) meets with the young ambitious John (Chris Coy). Right at the introduction, John is very aggressive in his approach, claiming that Eugene is in fact a serial killer. The two try to outsmart each other and the movie is pretty good on creating layers for both of them. Scott Glenn delivers the character with precision, often looking feeble but still charismatically bizarre when needs be.For his counterpart, Chris Coy performs admirable as well. He exhibits the contradicting youth to Glenn's more experienced nature. The chemistry is there as each finds more about each other's secrets. Visually, the movie has fitting noir look, it sets in a small town and some of the scenes are beautifully shot.Unfortunately, it often resorts to cheap plot devices. Characters would need to find or do things just in the right time and right place. The chances of these occurring are astronomically low, especially since they speak in vague manner, yet the movie pushes the scenes as if they are destined to be. Either because the alleged killer is near psychic or the victim is dumb. It is not a clever scheme or even a planned one, at some points the movie even utilizes more subplots and flashbacks, creating inconsistent pacing flow that never feels resolved.This is a shame because it could've been more engaging if the plot was simplified, instead it becomes forced as it tries to set overly elaborate twists. If one can get pass the irregularities, there is a good acting presence that might just entertain more on human drama aspect than its murky mystery thrill.