The Barber (2002)

What makes it different from others?

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I bought this DVD cos it starred Malcolm McDowell, a well respected actor - I watched the DVD trailer to fill me in on the plot - I needn't have bothered - there wasn't one!Malcolm must have fallen on hard times to even associate his name with this movie - it appears to have won some awards, however they were Canadian and not exactly Oscars The plot was actually pretty transparent and you could almost see the next alleged "twist" waiting in the wings to enter Stage Left The whole thing was very disappointing and there were a few comedy stereotypes to amuse you - I don't think they were intended to be amusing but the performances were more contrived and wooden than Pinnochio This struck me as a very very poor version of the Hannibal Lecter series but was spoilt even more by poor old Malcolm having to read out his thoughts to set scenes etc - this is a cop-out for poor low-budget filmmakers I suppose I should have realised this was an awful film as it was in the sale bin at my superstore for the huge price of 99p !!

The Barber sounded interesting enough...it sounded straight from the pages of a Stephen King novel except it takes the setting and location of a far north Alaskan village where everyone knows everyone. Dark, harsh, betrayal abounds but some minor and yet major things drag down this indie film which many seem to praise. It isn't your run of the mill Horror film which is definitely a good thing any time you can break that mold and still be entertaining. The Sound editing is atrocious...it's like watching a bad Japanese Godzilla film, the sound is that out of sync which normally is acceptable in a low budget picture but it's so bad it becomes almost unbearable. The story and direction is the high point of the film both kudos to director/co-writer Michael Bafaro. Unfortunately the real story in this can't be told in the restriction of the hour and a half the film is given. You can't fully get the feel for each character especially The Barber himself. The setting is not quite used to the advantage of the story although they attempt it but constantly verbally reminding us of the darkness they have six months of the year. There desperately needs to be more back story and more of a connection between these characters who live so closely together in such dire circumstances...the way Stephen King always brings about in his small town horrors. Instead the movie is bogged down with blatant profanity, and unimaginative communication between the characters.Malcolm McDowell takes the lead as the secretly psychotic Dexter Miles. He's adequate but in the hands of a much better actor the role could have flourished. We never get a real feel for his deep psychosis or a background or reason for his sheer insanity. Despite meager attempts by a voice over to understand him we don't get inside his mind. His performance is like the film...low budget. He's a low budget actor who doesn't really impress but is just adequate. Jeremy Ratchford on the other hand gives the really impressive performance of the whole film as Chief Vance Corgan. He's dark, and moody, and emotionally disturbed by things in his past. He's chalked up as being over the hill, a few loose bricks, not really smart but in fact he shows the slightest glimpse of being a brilliant cop, and the only one who really sees things no one else does. Ratchford deserves great credit as being the stand out performance in the film. Garwin Sanford drags the cast down as the foolish and vapid FBI agent Crawley. His performance is a joke and he treats it as such. He's not believable as an agent and is at least twice as inadequate as Chief Corgan in his crime detection. John B. Destry is also worth mentioned as he does a pretty decent job as one of the victim's husband. A little deranged and he plays crazy better than McDowell who gets top billing. I have to say none of the rest of the cast is really worth mentioned. No one else does a stand out job and a lot of the town folk behave more like it's a joke than a real film. The cast is just not serious enough for this film.In the hands of a more powerful film maker, a much more brilliant cast, and a deeper story this could have been a real treat to behold although it was nominated for several independent awards. Perhaps I am being too harsh on it but I really loved the premise and the story and direction and I wanted more so badly that it's too bad there wasn't. For entertainment purposes it was fun to watch, a decent thriller with little to no actual violence or gore. Unless you're a real die hard Horror fan or love low budget flicks there really isn't any reason to see this one. On the other hand it won't kill you, it's not bad at all...just an average little film. 7/10

The Barber is a surprise: a seemingly innocuous townsman in the small town of Ravelstoke, Alaska, supposedly, turns out to be a serial killer, and makes semi-humorous comments about the behavior of the psychopath during his voice-over. The depressive atmosphere is heightened by the 24 hour dark period in which the action takes place. The piece veers between comedy and murderous repulsiveness. Background music is varied, but in keeping with the title, is sometimes the Barber of Seville. I found the film to be well-acted, with Malcolm McDowell playing a role a bit familiar from the first film I ever saw of his, A Clockwork Orange.

The cover photo of this DVD does just about everything to convince you that it's another entry into the slasher genre (ie: Scream, Urban Legend, The Dentist, et al.), but the first few minutes of the movie quickly dispel this notion. Unlike most of these types of movies, we're introduced almost instantly to the murderer and his cover. Through the wonders of voice-over narration, we get some quick insight into this guy's feelings on life and society. But not too much... While it's really no big deal, the man's history and motivation for the killings is never revealed. The movie starts out looking like a psychological thriller, but quickly becomes a by-the-numbers serial killer flick as the local cops and Feds are put through their paces, performing autopsies, arrests, and the inevitable territorial disputes. But, thank God, the killer doesn't spout off one-liners. In fact, the murders themselves are not witnessed. The fact that everyone in this film's small town is stupid, deceitful, or just plain trash should make citizens of Alaska very happy. Some excuse is made as to how the six month periods of darkness dull the senses or something, but we know that's not the case. No, somebody involved in this movie has a serious problem with Alaskans. Anyway, the movie stays pretty low key until the end, when things finally reach a boiling point. The ending should be most unexpected. And while the last monologue offers up plenty of ham and cheese, I have to say I was really hoping Dex would be caught. That's a lot more than I've ever felt for Hannibal Lecter.