By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Barbershop," an urban comedy starring rapper Ice Cube, brushed aside its rivals to grab the No. 1 chair at the North American box office in its first weekend, according to studio estimates issued Sunday.

The low-budget film grossed $21 million for the three days beginning Sept. 13, almost doubling the $11 million haul of perennial bridesmaid "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which spent its third weekend at No. 2 and finally passed $100 million.

The Robin Williams drama "One Hour Photo" jumped 10 places to No. 3 with $7.7 million after expanding nationally in its fourth weekend of release. "Stealing Harvard," a comedy starring Tom Green, was the only other new entry in the top 10, premiering at No. 4 with $6.3 million.

Last week's top movie, the teen thriller "Swimfan," fell to No. 5 with $6.1 million.

If estimates hold when final data are released Monday, "Barbershop" will rank as the third best September opener ever, after "Rush Hour" ($33 million), "Double Jeopardy" ($23.2 million) and ahead of "Remember the Titans" ($20.9 million).

The strong performances helped the box office end an eight-week losing streak, with the total for the top 12 films up 38 percent over the year-ago weekend to $72 million, according to tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.

"Barbershop" stars Ice Cube (his real name is O'Shea Jackson) as the owner of an inner-city Chicago barbershop that serves as a social focus point for the neighborhood. After he hands it over to a loan shark to pay off his debts, he realizes its value to the community, and tries to get it back.

The ensemble film also stars comedian Cedric the Entertainer, whose loquacious character provides some politically incorrect political commentary, and rapper Eve. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, which has released a string of flops this year, including "Windtalkers," "Hart's War" and "Rollerball."

MGM marketing president Peter Adee said about 70 percent of the audience for "Barbershop" was black, with most viewers aged under 35. He hoped positive word-of-mouth would help the film cross over to other demographics. The film cost about $12 million, and a sequel could be in the works.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding," a hit family comedy about a Greek-American's marriage to a WASP, rose to $110.7 million after 150 days in release. It becomes the 15th film released in 2002 to cross the century mark, not bad for a project with a $5 million budget.

The film, which stars Nia Vardalos and John Corbett, was released by IFC Films, a unit of Rainbow Media Holdings Inc. , majority owned by Cablevision Systems Corp.

The 26-day total for "One Hour Photo," in which Williams plays a photo store employee who obsesses over a family whose films he develops, rose to $14.2 million. The low-budget drama was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc.

"Stealing Harvard" stars Jason Lee, who attempts to steal $30,000 to pay for his niece's Harvard education. Green plays his partner-in-crime. It was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp ( news - web sites).

"Swimfan," a "Fatal Atraction" for the high school set, rose to $19.7 million after 10 days in release. It was released by News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox.

New releases next weekend include another remake of the nineteenth-century drama "The Four Feathers," the spy thriller "Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever," the kidnap thriller "Trapped," and the middle-aged groupie comedy "The Banger Sisters."

Reuters/Variety

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the final data for the top 10 movies at the North American box office during the September 13-15 weekend, according to studio figures released Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

Film Three-day Cumulative

Title Gross

1. Barbershop .......... $20,627,433

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $20,627,433

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding .......... $10,772,146

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $110,443,668

3. One Hour Photo .......... $8,006,660

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $14,567,429

4. Swimfan .......... $6,051,863

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $19,682,646

5. Stealing Harvard .......... $6,041,521

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $6,041,521

6. Signs .......... $5,405,275

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $213,032,514

7. City By The Sea .......... $4,862,445

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $16,654,735

8. XXX .......... $3,308,202

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $135,393,339

9. Spy Kids 2 .......... $2,742,641

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $77,397,043

10. Austin Powers in Goldmember .......... $1,854,216

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $209,634,700

Reuters/Variety

John L.: It surprised some that a small movie about the hijinx that go on in a barbershop would make any major dough.  People forget that one of the most famous scenes in Eddie Murphy movies are the moments in the barbershop in "Coming to America."  A movie with that comedic attitude had potential to be a success and it has.  It also has sparked a bit of controversy due to some its raw and honest content.  All will be discussed in the following review.  Also this week, Jason Lee continues to break away from Kevin Smith, and Tom Green continues to find his niche in the world with Stealing Harvards mediocre debut.  A review for that film shows up later on this page.  It's been a while, so let's get to it.

Barbershop is advertised as a comedic romp at a local hair removal establishment involving a wide variety of inner city characters.  In fact, there is quite a bit of drama mixed in with the hair patches, rap music, apple juice, romance, and barber rants.  The story is about Calvin (Ice Cube) and his attempts to save his family barbershop from the shady loan shark, Lester (Keith David).  While Calvin is having his own problems, his employees are not having the greatest of days either.  One of them may be mixed up in a robbery of an ATM machine, one is trying to stop people from stealing her food, another is a white guy trying to fit in a black world, and there is one guy who is sort of boogee in that he is well educated and feels he is above the other slackers he is surrounded by everyday.  Ah, but then there is Eddie played by everyone's favorite beer pitchman, Cedric the Entertainer.  He is the oldest barber in the shop and has lived quite the life and is not afraid to tell anyone who is in audible distance whether they want to hear it or not.  More on him later.  Ice Cube is the star here and he gives his usual good performance.  It is amazing to watch this guy on screen as he has rarely done a bad job with any of his acting projects from Boyz N Da Hood, to Anaconda, to Three Kings, to his franchise "Friday" pictures.  What is amazing is he plays the same character in every movie, but his acting style and screen presence  make you believe him in anything he does.  Let's see the gangsta rapper get out of this mess is a good gimmick and it is working well for Mr. Oshea Jackson.  As usual in his comedies, he plays the straight man for most of the movie and has the same reaction he has delivered for the last 13 years, "damn!"  Ice Cube, the Denzel of gangsta rap.  The only other person of note is Cedric Kyles better known as Cedric the Entertainer.  He has been hovering around breaking out into the mainstream for several years especially with his Original Kings of Comedy movie and beer dating commercials.  This time he gets to play a character about 30 years older than he actually is.  His Eddie represents old school.  The guy who puts up this happy go lucky front, but has seen more than everyone combined who works in the barbershop.  He has an opinion on everything and if you don't like it, then so what.  The moment in the movie where he rattles off the 3 things black people need to get over not only produced the most compelling moments in the film, but also angered the people the rant and what followed were geared at.  Rodney King and O. J. Simpson are 2 of those things and have been accepted for ridicule despite their tragic histories.  However, the third thing has caused the most problems.  Saying that all Rosa Parks did was sit her ass down on a bus was even to me a bit questionable.  Hearing that in the previews and in the movie made took me aback.  The others in the scene immediately say how inappropriate the comment was much like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have in real life.  However, people need to hear what Eddie said immediately following the remark.  He said it to make it known that Parks was not the only one or the first person to defy the seating arrangements of 1950s transportation seating arrangements.  The point though was covered up by the gasps of the actors and the audience in the theater.  If you want to know more about Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, read a book or rent a documentary.  Don't let Barbershop be your only education on that time period.  Martin Luther King is also somewhat disparaged, but the comments against have been said for years and was a joke that did not really put down anything that King did while he was alive.  The Jesse Jackson crack got one of the bigger laughs of the movie and to a certain extent was a universal truth.  Jackson has done some good, but tends to be a loudmouth and a troublemaker when he could spend more time on real issues instead of fake ones like silly movies.  Remember, Barbershop is supposed to be a comedy and not taken as seriously as some have taken it. It is amazing that groups insist that Hollywood make more movies with more African American actors in them and almost everytime one is made and is successful, those same groups are the first ones there to put it down.  There is a future special John L. Report coming one of these days about the whole race issue in movies and entertainment in general.  It may be time to write that in the near future.  There is a lot of hypocrisy going around and it is time to put it to rest.  Barbershop tries to show many sides of the so-called black experience and it does that.  A quick mention of some of the supporting cast.  Anthony Anderson plays one of hapless saps who try to rob a hard to crack ATM machine.  This guy shows up in a lot of movies in small but significant roles like in Romeo Must Die and Me, Myself, and Irene.  He is the type of character actor who tends to steal the movies he is in.  Cedric steals, Barbershop, but Anderson as JD is very funny in his money quest.  In a couple of years or less he will get that big part that will make him a superstar.  Rap singer Eve plays Terri who is addicted to applejuice.  I was most surprised by her performance since I am not her biggest fan when it comes to her music.  She is much better here than in her 2 seconds in XXX.  Sean Patrick Thomas is the smart brother who gets no respect as he disrespects those not as smart as him.  He's okay, but it is depressing to see the movie push the stereotype of educated black people being sellouts.  I'll never understand that premise.  Barbershop is funny when it tries to be, but is a bit too serious for too much of the time.  The ATM plot and even Ice Cube trying to raise money gets in the way of what people really want to see... Cedric go off on the issues of the day.  This movie would make a good stage play that was just people having everyday conversations while getting their hair cut.  Something like a Barney Miller version of a barbershop.  Hopefully the planned sequel will be more slice of life and less plot heavy.  Final Review:  3 stars; 6 1/2 out of 10; B; thumbs up.

STEALING HARVARD - FULL REVIEW

Stealing Harvard is a movie with a weak premise that is barely strong enough to be an episode of a WB sitcom.  Jason Lee of Kevin Smith Jersey Trilogy Fame plays John, who promised his niece years ago that he would pay her way into college after she loses a spelling bee.  Little could he suspect that his trailer park relative would qualify to attend Harvard University.  Too bad they could not get enough financial aid to cover the $40,000 needed.  Instead of just saying he can't afford it, go to the local community college, he decides to come up with different extreme schemes to raise the money before the deadline.  Lee enlists the help of Duff played by the ex-Mr. Drew Barrymore, Tom Green.  Duff is a madman and is not to be trusted as he gets John into more and more trouble as they try to break into a rich guy's home who has a dark secret, rob a convenient store, and even rob a bank.  All of these events fail miserably and nearly gets them killed or even raped.  All of this is supposed to be hilarious to us the audience, but it is all predictable and a bit boring.  Jason Lee has shown in other movies he is a capable actor, but he has a way to go before he is able to carry a film the way he is forced to do here since Tom Green still has much difficulty just standing still for more than 5 seconds let alone be the comedy relief.  He still thinks he is doing a bit on his MTV show.  The previews for this movie showed most of the funny parts with the only actual humorous point being the battle over who gets the fake crook name.  Dennis Farina is the future father-in-law of Lee who is very protective of his daughter, Elaine, played by Leslie Mann.  Farina plays the same father that John Ritter and even Farina themselves are playing on network television in "8 Rules for Dating My Daughter" and "The In-laws."  Movies and television have taught us that fathers never want their daughters to date or have sex, but they can't wait to walk them down the aisle on their wedding day as long as it does not cost too much.  Just once I would like that cliche shaken up a bit without going the incestuous route.  His obsession with watching Lee's every move is just filler as the main plot really is not strong enough, and at an hour and 23 minutes, the movie goes by very quickly.  Stealing Harvard is harmless and not too offensive.  It is very forgettable.  I can barely remember it now.  There are no surprises except for some unexpected spooning.  Final Review:  1 1/2 stars out of 5; 4 1/2 out of 10; C-; thumbs down.

The Top Ten in Ten returns in a couple of weeks. Until then, bye for now.