I like Scott Glenn as he's a reliable character actor who's appeared in such a wide variety of material. I also like cheap Blu-rays so when I saw 'The Barber' new for $3, I couldn't pass it by even though I had no knowledge of the film. I had no expectations - high or low - going in and perhaps that was for the best. This serial killer genre flick has some nice moments, but never does anything to make it feel like it's better than the middle of the pack.
Imagine if your father was a cop obsessively trying to put away a man he thought was a serial killer - responsible for the death of countless young women - and so desperate to do right, he crossed the line and planted evidence. The case gets tossed and he commits suicide out of grief. Now twenty years later, you're a police officer too and haunted by the past. You want closure for your dad, yourself and justice for the victims. You track down the guy who's now a very old man. He's under an assumed name and by all interpretations a well liked and friendly member of the community ... and you do what? Surveil him? Conference with the local PD telling them your suspicions? Approach him in small town American during broad daylight and accost him with a knife?
'The Barber' is a film let down by it's half cooked story. The son, Eugene (Chris Coy) and his unhinged actions come close to sinking the ship. When the barber in question, Eugene Van Wingerdt (Scott Glenn) takes this kid under wing as a quasi serial killer protege with little resistance, you know it's not going to be THIS simple ... easy. If this guy is such a good serial killer, he's smarter than you and three steps ahead.
This leads to a cliche finale that tries to be clever, but pulls the "surprise" card one too many times and as a sweetener has a very well delivered, but unnecessary monologue too. Scott Glenn's level of almost effortless acting is the glue. 'The Barber' was an alright watch - not horrible like some people want you to believe - but also not highly memorable. I did however more than get my $3's worth.
Imagine if your father was a cop obsessively trying to put away a man he thought was a serial killer - responsible for the death of countless young women - and so desperate to do right, he crossed the line and planted evidence. The case gets tossed and he commits suicide out of grief. Now twenty years later, you're a police officer too and haunted by the past. You want closure for your dad, yourself and justice for the victims. You track down the guy who's now a very old man. He's under an assumed name and by all interpretations a well liked and friendly member of the community ... and you do what? Surveil him? Conference with the local PD telling them your suspicions? Approach him in small town American during broad daylight and accost him with a knife?
'The Barber' is a film let down by it's half cooked story. The son, Eugene (Chris Coy) and his unhinged actions come close to sinking the ship. When the barber in question, Eugene Van Wingerdt (Scott Glenn) takes this kid under wing as a quasi serial killer protege with little resistance, you know it's not going to be THIS simple ... easy. If this guy is such a good serial killer, he's smarter than you and three steps ahead.
This leads to a cliche finale that tries to be clever, but pulls the "surprise" card one too many times and as a sweetener has a very well delivered, but unnecessary monologue too. Scott Glenn's level of almost effortless acting is the glue. 'The Barber' was an alright watch - not horrible like some people want you to believe - but also not highly memorable. I did however more than get my $3's worth.