Review of The Barber (2002) by Emalee A — 01 Jan 2008

"The Barber" is a tale of a small Alaskan town that discovers a serial killer on the loose as they are stocking up and settling themselves in for a hard winter.

The story is told through the eyes of the local barber - who knows everyone, and hears each of their stories and opinions as he cuts their hair. As suspicion falls from one person to the next in the close-knit community, the FBI arrives. The film becomes a tale about the individuals in the community; gradually revealing their stories and their secrets, from the inexperienced and often incompetent local Sheriff's Department to lonely members of the community indulging in unexpected relationships with their trusted neighbours. And it's because of that community trust that innocent girls are beginning to fall prey to a bigger threat than winter, or the S.A.D disorder that afflicts the towns inhabitants because of it.

There are a couple of nice edges to this film, one being the genuine sense of claustrophobia, as if the viewers too are hemmed into a town in the far north, surrounded by a 24 hour darkness and cut off by heavy snows. Another is McDowell's portrayal as the local barber, the town's agony-uncle and diplomat, though one who occasionally slips up and shows his off-kilter side.

I got this film very cheaply on Amazon and because of that, didn't expect too much from it; but it was a nice surprise and a worthwhile purchase. Seasonal, too ...