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Soul Men (2008)

Release Date:
Friday, November 7, 2008

MPAA Rating:
R

Rating Reason:
For pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity

Genre:
Comedy, Drama

Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sean Hayes, Sharon Leal, Jennifer Coolidge, Isaac Hayes, Affion Crockett, John Legend, Adam Herschman, Fatso Fasano, Jackie Long

Written By:
Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone

Director:
Malcolm Lee

Official Site:

Synopsis:
Two former backup soul singers Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) and Floyd (Bernie Mac) travel cross country to perform at a tribute concert in honor of their famous former band leader. They haven't spoken to each other in 20 years but reluctantly agree to travel together for the tribute performance. Both Jackson and Mac will do their own musical and dance performing in the film.

Soul Men (2008) | Review

Not a Solo Act
Elisabeth Leitch

Content Image
Traveling across the country, the two men must deal with the betrayal that drove them apart many years before. Each time their journey seems destined to fail, Floyd must face his fear of living a life without value. Each time their journey actually keeps moving forward, Louis is more than eager to express his desire to just stay gone forever. And when the daughter of Floyd's former wife and Louis' former flame steps into the picture, both Floyd and Louis are pushed to consider that finding value in their lives once again may very well be more about who they do their living with than what they spend their living doing.

A story of friendship, family, and the truth that you are never too old to share your talents and your love, Soul Men is a delightfully funny movie with heart. As much as it is a comedy, its story, like the movie itself, is one that is very much about life lived with the knowledge of death. In the picture is the reality that one day we all will be no more. But even though that day is one that none of us can escape, through a mix of both heartfelt revelations and the comedy of stubborn wills and fortuitous misunderstandings that leads to them, Soul Men reminds us of the value that still remains in the lives we are all living. While the movie is a fun one, perhaps the best part is actually a reel of outtakes that pays tribute to Mac during its credits. Cracking jokes between scenes and sharing his thoughts with the camera, Mac almost reveals the same drive to make his life one of value as his character Floyd. He talks about wanting to leave a lasting impression. He shares his commitment to giving 150% to every performance he gives. "My comedy is not fictitious; it comes from the heart," he tells us. And as we watch him goofing off with his costars and bringing smiles and laughter to his audiences, Mac points straight to the fact that the true nature of the comedy to which he gave much of his life was always about connection—with those he worked with, with those he laughed with, and with those who brought laughter to his own life.

Whether we are old or young, living in a mansion or in a closet, or yearning for the future or the past, we all want to leave a lasting impression on this earth. We do not desire our lives to be ones of regret but of pride. We do not wish them to be ones of abandonment but of presence. We want to move, we want to sing, and we want to love, and as Soul Men reveals, the greatest moves we will ever make, songs we will ever sing, and love we will ever know are those lived in relationship and friendship with others.

As Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 reads:
There was a man all alone; He had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil, Yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "And why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless— A miserable business!

Two are better than one, Because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, His friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls And has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered, Two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Sure, friendship may never be the smoothest road. Yes, family relationships will most certainly have their share of complexity. But in the end, it is often only in giving of our love and our lives to others that we will actually find the life of value for which our souls will always long

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