A simple story well told, of a little guy (Cube) trying to find his way in the world with corruption, the pressure of making a living, and finding his own identity out of the shadow of his neighbourhood-institution father.

Calvin runs his Dad's barber shop on Chicago's south side in a rough neighbourhood peopled with good hearted folks all in the same struggle. The most eclectic group of hairdressers and barbers work for him, among them the ballsy chick Eve, his father's old friend Eddie (Cedric), ex con trying to be straight Ricky, wannabe white boy rapper Isaac, the painfully straight Jimmy and African immigrant Dinka. Between them and their highly developed personas, they flesh out a simple story into a very entertaining feature film.

Under pressure to meet his payments, Calvin - in a fit of desperation - agrees to sell his store to local protection racketeer Lester (David). Learning that it's to be turned into a strip club, he tries to change his mind, only to find you don't change your mind on a dangerous hood.

Meanwhile, JD (Anderson) and his useless friend have wrenched a cash machine out of the wall opposite the barbershop and the story switches between Calvin's plight and that of the hapless crims trying to get into the machine to get the money out (with no idea that it's empty).

The two stories merge in the final frames but are mostly unrelated. The tale being told isn't so special in itself, but it's mostly a stage for some brilliant stand up comedy from all involved, particularly Cedric the Entertainer. Plenty of laughs, just enough heart and just enough African American attitude to make it the hit it deserved to be.