Gina works for Jorge in a swanky hair salon for the rich and artificial. Her clients love her. Her fellow employees love her. Jorge is constantly on her back about how it is his salon and she represents him. On a particularly nasty day she quits telling him she's going to start her own salon. Jorge laughs not believing she can make it on her own or without him.

After working her salon magic on a bank agent Gina secures a loan and buys a run down lost in the 80s beauty parlour which she remodels with what little money she has. Things are going great, the clientele is growing and her staff are happy. She might even get a huge cosmetics deal with Cover Girl. Problem is the building inspector keeps showing up and fining her for things she doesn't have the money to repair. The threat of having to close her doors looms every day.

Beauty shop is produced by phenomenal woman Queen Latifah who also stars as the lead character. Other headliners are Kevin Bacon as the egotistical Jorge, Djimon Hounsou as the electrician piano player who lives above the shop, Alicia Silverstone as the quirky stylist Gina steals from Jorge's studio, Andie MacDowell who plays the rich co-dependent customer and Sheri Shepherd as a pregnant stylist who stays on when Gina takes over.

This isn't a split your gut laughter kind of movie but it is a hoot. Even if just to see Kevin Bacon dressed up in sparkly clothes and permed hair. This is definitely a girl power movie with lots of positive content for plus size women. One of my favourites is in the opening when Gina is getting ready for work and asks her daughter for her opinion on how she looks.

"Do you think these pants make my butt look big?" asks Gina.

"Yeah."

"Perfect!" says Gina.

Beauty Shop is a comical look at one woman's attempt to make it on her own and what she can do in the face of adversity if she has a dream, works hard, takes a chance, has friends and doesn't give up on her ideals. All while setting an example for her preteen daughter. Beauty Shop is worth watching.

MGM, 2005

Purchase Beauty Shop from Amazon.com.
Purchase Beauty Shop from Amazon.ca.

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