The Village Barbershop
The Village Barbershop is a 2008 independent film written and directed by Chris J. Ford, starring John Ratzenberger and Shelly Cole. Ratzenberger plays Art Leroldi, a small-town barber forced to hire a new employee, Gloria MacIntyre, played by Cole, after the death of his longtime business partner. Faced with losing his shop, Gloria helps Art get his life and business back on track with her feisty, determined attitude. A very uphill task when they are forced to relocate because their sleazy landlord, Jacobi (Amos Glick), has sold the property to Big-Mart.
Years earlier, Art lost his wife to cancer, a painful wound he remedies by drinking and going to the track every day, but his lonely existence is brightened when he runs into Josie, an old acquaintance, at a gentleman's club, where she works as a waitress. Gloria has her own issues when she finds herself homeless and pregnant by her loser ex-boyfriend, who had decided to leave her for another woman before she could inform him of the impending arrival. However, she strikes up a relationship with Colin, a local coffee shop employee who is determined to win her over despite her initial reluctance.
[edit] Cast
- John Ratzenberger as Art Leroldi
- Shelly Cole as Gloria MacIntyre
- Cindy Pickett as Josie
- George McRae as George
- Daron Jennings as Colin
- Amos Glick as Jacobi
- Josh Hutchinson as Rickert
[edit] Reception
Won the Audience Award for Best Picture by Cinequest in 2008 and the Best Actress Award for Cole at the Newport Beach Film Festival that same year. An Official Selection at a number of film festivals, it is a sweet film that Variety called "Warm, humorous, and ingratiating".
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives The Village Barbershop 58% positive reviews out of 206.
