Soul Men (2008)

"Mac and Jackson carry the show--particularly Mac, who's at his crackly, cranky best here. As swan songs go, Soul Men is pretty sweet.  Chuck Wilson, The Village Voice
"...entertaining performances by Mac and co-star Samuel L. Jackson...generous doses of raucous humor and sweet soul music.  Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
"There's nothing quite like watching Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac performing at a hoedown and getting into it with the audience.  James Berardinelli's ReelViews
"It's a joy to watch soul legend Isaac Hayes in one of his final roles.  Jason Buchanan, TV Guide
"Soul Men is a chance to salute these masters of mirth and music. Take it.  Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Editor's Note Malcolm Lee, director of upbeat family fare such as WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS and ROLL BOUNCE, takes a slightly raunchier tack for his uproarious buddy comedy, SOUL MEN. The late Bernie Mac gives one of his final performances as Floyd Henderson, a retired back-up singer for a ?60s soul act known as the Real Deal. When the group's lead singer, Marcus Hooks--played by real-life soul singer John Legend--suddenly drops dead, the two remaining members of the group, Henderson and Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson), are enlisted to play a tribute concert at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. Hinds, an ex-convict trying his best to stay out of the limelight, is persuaded by Henderson to drive cross-country for the chance to re-ignite his music career. The classic comedic trope of road-trip antagonism reaches new heights as the pair curse and claw at each other for the entire voyage, taking occasional breaks to stage impromptu roadside rehearsals and other, less PG-rated misadventures. Throughout, Mac's formidable skills at slapstick play against Jackson's no-nonsense, tough guy demeanor--a veneer that, at times, cracks enough to reveal some genuinely tender moments between the two. But SOUL MEN's final, most poignant postscript is a cameo by fallen soul legend Isaac Hayes--who, coincidentally, died the same week as Bernie Mac--casting a bittersweet pall over the film's enjoyably comic shenanigans.

	Sharon Leal
	Bernie Mac
	John Legend
	Sean Hayes
	Samuel L. Jackson
	Adam Herschman
	Affion Crockett
	Jennifer Coolidge
	Matthew F. Leonetti - Director of Photography
	Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer
	Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer
	Mark McNair - Executive Producer
	Isaac Hayes - Cameo
	Steve Greener - Producer
	Charles Castaldi - Producer
	Matthew Stone - Screenwriter
	Robert Ramsey - Screenwriter
	David T. Friendly - Producer
	Stanley Clarke - Composer
	Malcolm D. Lee - Director

USA Today
"[I]t works surprisingly well. Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac make a winning duo in the bawdy buddy road-trip picture SOUL MEN." 11/07/2008

Los Angeles Times
"[T]he laughs build and you realize that Mac is pulling them out of some unseen top hat." 11/07/2008

New York Times
"SOUL MEN is a raucous, rambling comedy....[T]he soundtrack of well-made soul covers and the cruder music of Mr. Jackson and Mr. Mac's foulmouthed one-upmanship provide a measure of satisfaction." 11/07/2008

Variety
"[Mac and Jackson] appear to be having a ball doing the musical numbers, which are infectious....[The film] manages to hit just enough of the right notes to serve as a respectable coda to Mac's legacy." 11/03/2008

Variety
"[Mac and Jackson] appear to be having a ball doing the musical numbers, which are infectious....[The film] manages to hit enough of the right notes to serve as a respectable coda to Mac's legacy." 11/03/2008

Rolling Stone
"SOUL MEN is a chance to salute these masters of mirth and music. Take it." 11/13/2008 p.101

Hollywood Reporter
"This contemporary riff on THE SUNSHINE BOYS generally manages to succeed...thanks to the entertaining performance by Mac and co-star Samuel L. Jackson and its generous doses of raucous humor and sweet soul music." 11/03/2008

Reel.com 8 of 10
It's a damn shame. As a stand-up, Bernie Mac had no equal. He even made a winning transition to television with his hit semi-autobiographical sitcom. But as an actor, success as the lead in a major motion picture seemed to elude him. Sure, Mac made appearances in such monster hits as Ocean's 11 and Transformers, but his contributions were in supporting roles. That's why it's a shame he had to die before Soul Men could hit theaters. Under the watchful eye of growing genre ace Malcolm D. Lee, Mac finally finds a main character to match his oversized abilities. While not his actual swan song, it becomes a fitting, if ironic, finale...You can tell that Soul Men is a movie at war with itself. On the one hand you instantly recognize the cliche-riddled plotting of writers Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone...And then there's the pure comedic chemistry of Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson. When they spar, when they leave the lame scripting behind and turn their penchant for improvised profanity and street lingo into beat down gold, the movie magically comes alive. Luckily, director Lee knows which side of the smack his movie's achievement is founded on. While the ending relies more on mechanics than four-letter wordplay, Mac and Jackson keep things from getting too manipulative...During the film's frequent musical interludes, Mac and Jackson show a knack for selling a song that's infectious. The soundtrack, a combination of contemporary material and old soul/Stax classics, offers enough toe-tapping energy to light up a dozen derivative flicks, and you can tell our stars are having the time of their lives while up on the stage. With two-thirds of the film functioning properly, Soul Men can be forgiven for its occasional lapses. It's a fitting accolade to a fallen funnyman. - Bill Gibron

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
"Soul Men" is the one that's really going to make you miss Bernie Mac. He's so filled with life and energy here that it's hard to believe ... well, anyway. It will make you miss him. He found his comfort zone in mainstream comedies, of which I have liked nine of 12. When an edgy director like Terry Zwigoff came into the picture with "Bad Santa" (2003), he allowed Bernie Mac a little more depth...In "Soul Men," there are scenes that hint at what he might have done in a dramatic role. It's a formula comedy, but there are real feelings here that we suspect would exist in this troubled struggle between musicians who haven't played together in 20 years. In the end credits, there are generous tributes to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, also in the film, both gone from us within two days in August [2008]. Bernie gets the last, touching, word. And you know, even if I mentioned a possible heavy dramatic role, I never felt he was a comedian with a sad man inside. In the credit cookies, he talks about his good luck while thanking a theater audience (of extras) for his career, and we believe him. He seems like a comedian with a happy man inside...This movie has a lot of good music in it, some on the soundtrack, some on the screen. Jackson and Bernie Mac have enormous fun doing intricate dance moves together. Isaac Hayes has a farewell role worthy of our memories. Of the actors, only John Legend is a little stiff, although he goes through a timeline of costumes and hair styles in the flashbacks. You want a good time? "Soul Men" will provide it. You want to say goodbye to Bernie Mac? He wants to say goodbye to you. - Roger Ebert