The Salon, released in 2005 is a comedy directed by Mark Brown. The movie was written by Mark Brown and Shelley Garrett. Mark Brown also wrote the Barbershop movie starring Ice Cube released in 2002. Shelly Garrett was the writer of the famed Beauty Shop stage play. The Salon stars Vivica A. Fox as Jenny, a salon owner in Baltimore fighting to keep her business. The movie also stars Darrin Dewitt Henson, Kym Whitley, Monica Calhoun, Taral Hicks, Dondré T. Whitfield, Garrett Morris, Terrence Howard, Brooke Burns, and the gone too soon De’Angelo Wilson. There are a lot of characters; however, it’s a movie about a beauty salon. Salons tend to have a lot of funny and strange characters who either work there or frequent the business.
Jenny, played by Vivica A. Fox owns a beauty salon. She is notified by attorney Michael, played by Darrin Dewitt Henson, that her salon is scheduled for demolition to make way for a parking lot. As she struggles to keep her salon open and her young son out of trouble, the stylists and customers keep the laughs coming. Like the head of the family, Jenny fights for the future of the salon without letting her employees know about the potential closure of the salon. Meanwhile, the stylists trade barbs with each other and with the customers. They debate everything from spanking kids, love, homosexuality, interracial relationships, and sex. They debate Halle Berry’s Oscar award, how we name our kids, and African-Americans love for Bill Clinton. There is a bit of cultural appropriation from the white customers and a toxic relationship between characters played by Monica Calhoun and Terrence Howard.
Vivica A. Fox is the star and she is in Kill Bill shape and has the life Frankie should have had. She is beautiful and funny as she takes part in some of the snaps and discussions. However, Dondré T. Whitfield, Taral Hicks, and De’Angelo Wilson are the gems of this movie. The three throw comedic verbal punches at each other like brothers and sisters. Kym Whitley and Garrett Morris bring the wisdom. Some discussions and jokes in the movie probably wouldn’t fly in the current era of the country. Nevertheless, the jokes and discussions are realistic, eye-opening, and funny.
While The Salon is funny, it does have a message. It portrays the message of a woman business owner in a black neighborhood struggling to keep her business and family afloat and together. The characters are realistic and they represent diversity and growth. They bicker, but provide a united front against those who seek to destroy their work family.
The Salon is a hidden gem. Gerald Levert even stops by. Like many black films in the 90’s and early 2000’s, it wasn’t a box office hit. Nevertheless, The Salon is one of many black movies people love regardless of box office status. It’s a hit for the culture and it features a great cast of characters who would continue to star in culture classics. Unfortunately, actor De’Angelo Wilson would later commit suicide in 2008. Wilson had a supporting role in the movie Antwone Fisher. But, he is probably better known as Eminem’s friend DJ Iz in the movie 8 Mile.
If you haven’t seen The Salon, you’re missing out on an under-the-radar culture classic.