Soul Men Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Out of sync. Never out of style.
Though it's been some twenty years since they have spoken with one another, two estranged soul-singing legends agree to participate in a reunion performance at the Apollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band leader.
| Michael C. 'Mike' Allen | NYC Police Officer |
| Keenan Carter | Younger Louis |
| Affion Crockett | Lester |
| Miko DeFoor | Apollo Manager |
| Ron Fagan | Hotel Couple Man |
| Ted Ferguson | Dancing Cowboy |
| John Foster | Bank Security Guard |
| Sean Goulding | Trumpet Player |
| Bart Hansard | Club Owner |
| Isaac Hayes | Himself |
| Sean Hayes | Manager |
| Adam Herschman | Phillip |
| Samuel L. Jackson | Louis |
| Bernie Mac | Floyd |
| Lee Ann McDade | Audience Member - House of Blues and The Apollo |
| Malcolm D. Lee |
6.20 out of 10 (1098 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Double Mac and Jackson please!
posted on 12 Aug 2009Soul Man is was it is... crude, rude, and genuinely funny. It has two of the hardest working actors in showbiz - the late great Bernie Mac and Samuel L Jackson as two has been soul stars on a road trip to a funeral / tribute concert of the late great Marcus Hook (John Legend).This is comedy at full speed, it makes no apologies and takes no prisoners - but is also genuinely full of laughs.All in all I think Mac wouldn't mind this being his last movie - never a man for great subtlety here the pair look like they had a lot of fun making this and the best bits are the improv off-script rants.It's no comedic masterpiece, and the plot is cheesy, and the whole thing is just a beer and pizza adventure - but you have to admire the energy and fun.A fitting tribute to Bernie Mac who loved life and people and was a very very, very hard-working stand-up comic.
Bernie Mac's BEST PERFORMANCE EVER!
posted on 04 Aug 2009When I first saw the movie, I was completely blown away from this movie! It is absolutely hilarious! This is one of the most funny movies I have ever watched. Bernie Mac was absolutely terrific in the movie. I haven't seen this kind of performance for years. I Can't even fully describe him...he is electrifying in Soul Men. For me he is one of the best comedians ever. I love it when he makes that crazy eye look.The movie is by far the best comedy of 2008! It's full of the that typical humor in the "black" comedies. I have not been laughing as this for a long, long time! I Wanted to see this movie again and again, i can't stop watching it! If you look for a superb comedy - THIS IS THE MOVIE! Forget Burn after reading and all other so called comedies!
Disappointing
posted on 07 Jul 2009This movie could have been really good. This movie should have been really good. Instead, it was a waste of the considerable talents of both Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac.This movie has the same premise as The Sunshine Boys and did start off very promising. The problem with it comes in the almost non-stop crude comedy bits that really don't add anything to the story.I will say that the pay-off are the parts where the two leads perform as their characters. They did an excellent job in that part of the role, but the writing of the rest of the movie just didn't bring out any of their talents.I did get a kick out of the homage to The Blues Brothers near the end of the movie.
Too crude and filthy for most audiences, but it does have some funny moments.
posted on 03 Jun 2009The premise is, a trio from the 1970s had broken up years ago, but the lead singer just died at age 63. As a tribute to him his two back-up singers are asked to travel to the Apollo in NYC to be part of this tribute. They had not spoken in years, no longer were in any kind of shape to perform, but on the promise of a $40,000 payday they head east in a car.Samuel L. Jackson is Louis Hinds, one of the two men. The late Bernie Mac is Floyd Henderson, the other man. They are clearly hostile towards each other and we soon find out it is because of a woman, a former back-up singer, that both of them had romanced, but she is now deceased.On their trip with was anything but "uneventful" they make a stop to beg money from the former lover, not knowing she had died. There they meet Sharon Leal as Cleo, the woman's daughter. And, she happens to be an age where one of the men may be her dad.A funny side man is curly-haired Adam Herschman as Phillip, an entertainment intern who is given the task of seeing that the men get to NYC. The entertainment boss is deftly played by Sean Hayes as Danny Epstein.The movie has some funny moments but has far too much crude and filthy language for most mainstream audiences. My wife refused to watch it, but I did because I like the actors.SPOILERS: First off there was no $40,000 payday, that was just what Floyd told Louis to get him to make the trip. Second, it turns out that Cleo is Louis' daughter and he is indigent because he had arranged years ago to have all his royalties from past recordings to go to her for her welfare. But all three of them make it to the Apollo and perform, with Cleo making her singing debut.
Soul Men is comedy gold.
posted on 24 May 2009It's not just a comedy, it's a tribute to our favorite soul men, Issac Hayes and Bernie Mac. Bernie Mac for his in your face style of comedy. And Hayes for his soulful singing voice, and his best remembered as the Duke in Escape From New York(1981), and has the voice of the chief on South Park. It a real sadness that there not with us anymore. But we'll always remember you Issac Hayes 1942-2008, and Bernie Mac 1957-2008.The story begins when two former singers Named Floyd Henderson(Bernie Mac), and Louis Hinds(Samuel L. Jackson) in the seventies where in a group called The Real Deal. Now thirty years later, after learning about one of there partners named Marcus Hooks(John Legend), died of a heart attack. Despite a little old grudges with each other, Floyd and Louis decide to re-team anyway. But during a trip that might encounter misadventure. will they make it without killing each other first.This was funny as ever, Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac are like the perfect comedy team, they had great comic chemistry, it's a real sadness they won't team up again. It had funny slapstick, and great music also. Please don't miss it. Sure it drops a lot of F bombs, and it has some raunchy humor, but it never gets boring or stupid for a second.
both flawed and irresistible road-comedy-musical
posted on 22 May 2009There is a better reason to see Soul Men than for the obvious hype of it being Bernie Mac's near-last performance (he has one other film listed on IMDb for release next year) and Isaac Hayes's last screen appearance (the latter isn't a real performance, not like Chef for example). And that is for the two stars, on their own and together, and how well they play off of one another as a foul-mouthed, sardonic and occasionally, really ill-tempered duo. Even if Mac hadn't died his performance here would still be just as noteworthy, if not, of course, now almost sadly ironic considering the nature of tribute and remembrance as shown in the movie to classic R&B and reconciliation. He was a genuine comic talent, both in acting and especially on stage with stand-up (he's still my favorite of all the Original Kings of Comedy), and only sometimes like on his TV show or in something like Bad Santa could he show off his stuff.Thankfully, he has a great co-lead to work off of, as Samuel L. Jackson, too, has a really adept comic timing and way of bending around the script when it can work best. Which, of course, is most fitting considering the moments that lag in the script. It's about two back-up singers who recorded one album, The Real Deal, and then broke up for thirty years. That is until their lead singer (John Legend) dies, and they have to team up again to perform at his funeral at the Apollo theater. Along the way there's some shenanigans, mostly sex-related (Jennifer Coolidge has no teeth for a certain act!), and some wounds that open up about past relationships, leading up to the revelation of a long-long daughter. That the time spent of actually coming to grips with having a daughter- both for the father and the daughter, plus the daughter's natural knack for performing- is too brief goes without saying as one of the flaws of the movie.And, yes, while I could admit that some parts are too over the top or slapstick-like, and I can see perfectly clear the turns and twists the plot takes from countless other road/buddy/musicals (not the least of which, in the sense of outlaw-luck, the Blues Brothers), it's still always enjoyable and sometimes really, really funny. The director, Malcolm Lee, understands how to get raucous and unpretentious comic situations and, more importantly, how to let the actors just go on their own beats to find something that works (his also good, not great, comedy Undercover Brother had this along with the throwback aspect). And it's all the better that the comedy works- yes, even unbelievable stuff like the thug living with the daughter who keeps coming back after the Real Deal- because the music is pleasantly on spot; Mac and Jackson score points here too as natural singing and performing types for these characters. They fit the bill 100%.So, as both a tribute to a fallen comedian and to that previous generation of super-cool R&B and Motown music, Soul Men scores. It's nothing entirely to write home about, but it's hard not to bust a gut at/with a lot of it.
Familiar although enjoyable comedy of redemption and friendship.
posted on 16 May 2009A former back-up singer turns car salesman Floyd Henderson (The late Bernie Mac) recently retired somewhere in California. He finds out that the lead singer of their previous soul band Marcus Hooks (John Legend) recently died of a heart attack. Their former manger Mr. Epstein is taking over by his son Danny (Sean Hayes), who wants Floyd to sing for Hooks' tribute concert at the Apollo Theater in New York City. But Danny wants the former second back-up singer turned former criminal Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson) to sing at the concert as well. At first, Louis refuses until Floyd convinces him to do the tribute for money. But Louis and Floyd haven't sing for nearly thirty years! There's some personal problems between these two former friends to solved before reaching the tribute concert of the late former colleague.Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man, Roll Bounce, Welcome Back Roscoe Jenkins) made an enjoyable loose comedy about music, friendship and redemption. Jackson and Mac are extremely well cast in their roles. They actually sing pretty well with some dance moves. Also this was one of the better roles that Mac got to play before he passed on unexpectedly. In some ways "Soul Men" is "Grumpy Old Men" with soul music and a little "Midnight Run" throw in for good measure. No one could curse vulgarity as funny as Jackson and Mac would say.The DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an good Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The DVD has a lively audio commentary track by the director and screenwriters Matthew Stone & Robert Ramsey. The DVD also has plenty of short featurettes of behind the scenes footage, interviews with the cast & filmmakers and tributes to the late Bernie Mac and Oscar-Winner Issac Hayes (Also his last film in a brief supporting role). The only two things are missing from the DVD is Deleted Scenes and Outtakes, which the filmmakers mention in the commentary track that a couple of sequences were cut. "Soul Men" was a box office disappointment and the film critics has mixed opinions but it will certainly found an audiences an Blu-ray/DVD and on television... sooner or later. Die-Hard fans of Jackson and especially Mac will have a blast with this movie. Jennifer Coolidge in a small memorable supporting part (Best known as Stifler's Mom in the "American Pie" series) has an genuinely funny sequences with Mac. This has a pretty good soundtrack as well. Certainly worth a look. Super 35. (*** 1/2 out of *****).
A nice film : R.I.P Bernie Mac
posted on 12 May 2009This film is somewhat a good film, it surprises me with nice jokes and good old school songs. By the way the voices in the songs are their own and may I add are good musical voices, original ones :D. I gave it 7 * mostly because of Bernie. S.L. Jackson played very well,tough as usual.Nevertheless a film to see with your family on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, a film about friendship,at least the last part :P, friends sometimes find them hating each other,for different reasons, but love finally conquers all, doesn't it ?????. Cool ending! I recommend this movie for the people who don't expect the terrible laugh of another tipical comedy.P.S. Rest in peace Bernie!Loved your films, your are one of the Kings of Comedy
Excellent Movie
posted on 06 May 2009I just returned from seeing "Soul Men". I laughed so hard. Samuel L Jackson is such a versatile actor. I love him in so many movies. Sam and Bernie played well off each other. And please stay for the credits because there is some scenes of Bernie being interviewed and doing his comedy act. He uses the f word in his act.It was very funny seeing Sam in corn rows and with the gray in them. That alone is worth seeing.It was very nice that they dedicated the movie to Bernie Mac and Issac Hayes who died one day apart from each other. They will both be missed.Samuel keep on making these wonderful movies.
Lacks a Heart, But Delivers Laughter, Good Music, and a Cheerful Soul.
posted on 02 May 2009*Does Contain Spoilers, Be Careful* Just to clear things up I am not scoring this high because of Bernie Mac's last performance. This is a very well written story about two former musicians who travel from California to New York to do a reunion concert after their former band leader split up with them and died years later. I couldn't stop laughing and neither could the 12 people in the theater. Mac now a retiree and Samuel L. Jackson an auto mechanic reluctantly agree to travel together doing performances across the country. They haven't performed together in 30 years. Both actors have terrific singing voices and its hard not to laugh at the vulgar dialogue that comes courtesy of Samuel L. Jackson. He sounds like his past characters in "Jackie Brown" and "Pulp Fiction." Mac and Jackson who although swear a lot, are portrayed as sympathetic characters. They are estranged because of a woman they both fought over years ago in Memphis, Tennessee. The twenty-something daughter of that woman soon joins their tour after her abusive and dimwitted boyfriend forces her out. He was one silly character who may have stayed in the film 15 minutes too long. Plus a low level talent agent who becomes Mac and Jackson's manager while on the road. There is at least one distasteful scene where Mac takes an aged bar woman (Jennifer Coolidge) into his hotel room. Trouble awaits him the next morning while meeting Jackson with a different woman.If the director didn't aim at such gratuitous gags, and F-Bombs every 5 seconds it might have been a comedy with a heart. There is one scene where the duo dance to the car radio and sing a song called "I'm Your Puppet." The last scene is the last stage performance which closes the show with just a few text captions saying what happens subsequently. I won't spoil it. Make sure to catch Isacc Hayes in voice and person in the film's second half. The only real heart the film displays is a memorial tribute to Hayes and Mac. It shows during the end credits, Mac giving an interview of his life and ambitions, blooper reel, Mac doing a Stand-up routine, voice work in the sound booth, and a nice photo of Mac and Hayes with the words "Dedicated to Bernie Mac and Isacc Hayes." Both of them shall be dearly missed.
Funny! Funny! Enjoyable!
posted on 28 Apr 2009This is a really entertaining movie starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. Jackson plays Louis Hinds and Mac plays Floyd Henderson, estranged soul singers who come out of retirement to be part of a tribute concert at the legendary Appollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band leader(John Legand). The two haven't spoken to each other for 25 years, but are reluctantly willing to make the cross country drive to pay their respects. Out of shape and out of practice, Floyd makes arrangements to stop for a few warm-up shows along the trip. SOUL MEN is full of humor and solid soul music. The F-bomb is dropped so many times you lose count. For some maybe too much. The additional sexual content makes for a solid R rating.Also in the cast: Isaac Hayes, Sharon Leal, Adam Herschman, Jennifer Coolidge and Sean Hayes. I enjoyed the scenes shot in Memphis and also the fact the movie was dedicated to Bernie and Isaac; they will both be greatly missed.
What an hilarious movie!
posted on 20 Apr 2009My wife and I saw this movie on opening day and it was good! It was also good to see Bernie, Isaac, and Sam in this movie. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard! My wife told me to stop laughing so loud and hard I was disturbing the other people in the theater...what a funny show. I will truly miss Bernie and Isaac they are a part of my life forever. Toooo Funny:) What a wining movie for the audience. We are hoping that this movie breaks box office record for the cast of this movie since it was so entertaining. Good luck to the producer and his team. I would appreciate getting a poster of the the movie to hang on the wall in my house. Great show!
A soulful comedy for all tastes
posted on 06 Apr 2009I had a chance to see an advance screening of Soul Men and I must say it's a highly enjoyable comedy that's a true testament to the comedic skills of both Samuel L. Jackson and the late great Bernie Mac. The trailer pretty much explains the plot, so there's no need to go into detail here but I will say that more than music the film for me was about the friendship between the characters portrayed by Mac & Jackson. Jackson who in my opinion has never handled lead comedic roles very well has a chance to shine here. As for Mac in his last role he's in top form and the comedic chemistry of the two is reminiscent of the Bill Cosby & Sidney Poitter vehicles of the seventies. As for the supporting roles Affion Crockett has a few scene stealing moments and the lovely Sharon Leal continues to make a name for herself. The direction by Malcolm D. Lee is sharp and on par with his previous films Roll Bounce & Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, while the script by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone is the duo's best script since 1999's Life. Watching the end credits of the film which is a heart warming tribute to Mac we given in a chance to look into a man who was more than a comic but an entertainer who loved his craft. Soul Men is a film filled with plenty of soul and is easily one of Mac's best films.
Soul Men Has Plenty Of Laughter And Warmth For The Soul
posted on 23 Feb 2009What a Brilliant way for Bernie Mac to, ever so sadly, leave us to early...Samuel L Jackson and Bernie Mac team up for a hilarious duo on a road trip to pay final respects for their friend who was once the lead singer in their soul trio singing group and went solo leaving Bernie and Samuel in the dust to live off royalties the next 30 years. Its a heart ache to have lost Bernie at such a young age and at the height of his career. His talent shines in this movie brighter than ever before and to see Bernie and Samuel as a comedy team, how easily there would have been a Soul Men II as this movie will no doubt be a classic. Does contain plenty of harsh language and some sex scenes very brief nudity and some hilarious Viagra scenes. The movie wraps up at the famous Apollo theater with Isaac Hayes and Bernie on stage side by side. I give this film a 10 for having all the elements of a masterpiece film.
A very good enjoyable movie all the way through
posted on 21 Feb 2009Soul Men was surprisingly very funny. The movie did look funny but turned out to be funny all they way through the movie. It started out funny and got funnier and funnier. I had a fun time laughing and was refreshing laughs and original jokes. The language in the movie was terrible that they used but made the movie funnier in ways. This was definitely not a good movie for kids to see because of all the adult humor in the movie. I enjoyed myself for the most part. The acting was very good. Bernie Mac was good in it and it was nice to see him in his last movie. Samuel L. Jackson was just as funny and was more serious. They were two friends that were singers in the same band that always fought. They had two completely different personalities which made the movie enjoyable. The music was very good as well. The story was a little boring but turned out good enough. Overall I would recommend this movie to many adults that have great humor because this movie has lots of it.
Bittersweet
posted on 01 Feb 2009Bernie Mac and Samuel L Jackson star as two legendary singers who reunite when the man they backed up dies. Getting together to travel across the country they are forced to confront the past and themselves.Nominally a comedy I found this to be a very bitter sweet film with a few laughs and a great deal of sadness. This is a film about the road not taken, the detours forced upon us and the effort we sometimes we have to make to get back on track.I found it more a drama then a comedy with both Jackson and Mac in fine form. It is so good to watch Jackson at work when he has someone to work with and not devour the screen alone (Jumpers anyone?). I don't know why I found this so sad. I don't think its because of the death of Bernie Mac, rather I think its just the way things are handled with the concerns fears and predicaments of the two ex-partners ringing abnormally true to life. Its a good film and I liked it, but as I keep saying I found it rather sad.And that was before the double whammy of the end credits where we see Bernie talking about his life and career intercut with him clowning on the set. Its clear that he death was a great loss. Additionally when the Mac segment is over we hear Isaac Hayes singing "Never Can Say Goodbye", the effect coupled with the dedication of the film to Mac and Hayes is likely to bring a tear to your eyes.A good film worth a look at some point.
Soul Men Movie Review from The Massie Twins
posted on 29 Dec 2008Not a hint of originality can be found in this lifeless tribute to music and old school mayhem. Soul Men features decent chemistry between funny-man Bernie Mac and straight-man Samuel L. Jackson, but they're both characters we've seen before, played identically by these same two actors. As a comedy the laughs are practically nonexistent, and as an ode to true soul men the film flounders in predictability and a disappointing over-dependency for staying between the lines (despite familiar foul-mouthed soliloquies by both leading men). In the early 70s, soul group Marcus Hooks and the Real Deal become extremely popular and sell over six million records. But by 1977 Hooks recognizes his superior talents and decides to go solo – leaving his partners Floyd Henderson (Bernie Mac) and Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson) to struggle with the loss of stardom well into their old age.Floyd is now retired and discouraged with his mundane life. When Marcus Hooks dies, Floyd is approached by VH1 to reunite with Louis to do a tribute song at Hooks' exuberant Apollo Theater funeral. Bitter and cranky, especially at the memory of Floyd's affair with his wife, Louis is eventually convinced to journey cross-country with Henderson for the promise of money attached to their big performance. During the road trip the duo has the opportunity to brush up on their singing (having been absent from the spotlight for 30 years), confront unexpected reunions with the past, and initiate run-ins with the law – but nothing will stop their quest to get back in the spotlight. Going straight for the lewd, gross-out laughter, the first 10 minutes of the movie surrounds us in awkward sexual escapades and a galling rectal examination. Shortly thereafter the jokes get more repetitive, doubling up on the mishandling-of-firearms routine, more animalistic bedroom hanky-panky (including the trailer's notorious "velveteen rub"), and bad language galore. The humor itself is not geared toward a particular demographic, despite the clear target audience for the ensemble cast, so it is most disappointing to find such timeworn comedy gimmicks continually bombarding the screen. Stereotyped characters, unnecessary supporting roles, and recycled life lessons also surface and add to the unoriginality of Soul Men. It's part road movie and mainly a buddy film, but what really strikes a chord on the string of ineffectiveness is the redundancy and lack of zest. The characters are vinegary even when they're trying to have fun, and the farcical situations the duo finds themselves in are all stolen from other comedies, similarly fashioned around the importance of friends. Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac are enjoyable actors, but the material in Soul Men is as generic as it gets.- Mike Massie
"It ain't over till its over"
posted on 19 Dec 2008Im not the least surprised that the rating for this movie is low. Im not the least surprised that IMDb reviewers only complain about excessive violence and profanity when it comes to black films(as if they never saw a Quentin Tarantino film in their life!). Hmmmmmmm,interesting. At any rate, Soul Men is a moderately funny movie with some heart.The story chronicles Lewis Hinds(Samuel L. Jackson) and Floyd Henderson(Bernie Mac)two members of the group "Real Deal". Floyd pays a visit to Lewis after the death of a soul singer legend Marcus Hooks(played by John Legend) to perform at an event at the Apollo because they believe they can get paid. Lewis is still bitter with Floyd about an incident involving his former wife. They reluctantly team up and go performing state to state before they reach the Apollo.I wont say that I always laughed but there are plenty of times where I laughed especially with the interaction between Bernie Mac's character and Samuel Jackson's character. Cleo's bumbling, abusive boyfriend Lester(Affion Crockett) had some funny moments too. Both Floyd and Lewis's misadventures are humorous also. There are times when i laughed and times where I smiled. Lewis's interaction with Cleo(played by the attractive Sharon Leal who somewhat resembles Kerry Washington) was sweet. The songs Lewis and Floyd sung were cool and they seem to have a ball performing them and not phoning in their performances(like some entertainers tend to do). Its a shame that Bernie Mac passed before the release of this film. He would have been proud of the final product because the movie was pretty good.REST IN PEACE BERNIE MAC, ISAAC HAYES and RUDY RAY MOORE!!!
Great Chemistry - Great Movie
posted on 11 Dec 2008"Soul Men" is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. The chemistry between Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson could not have been planned better. I was left wondering if they had indeed known each other in real life for thirty-plus years. Admittedly, I am a Bernie fan; his TV show was the best sitcom on the air. Mac's habit of addressing "America" was fresh and highly entertaining.There are some elements of "Soul Men" that reminded me of the older movie, "The Blues Brothers". Aging musicians, one an ex-con, looking to put the old band back together and taking a cross-country road trip in the process all conspired to make the analogy inevitable. But Soul Men has a very different pathos and a richer theme. The language at times is uncomfortably rough, but hey; these are two guys, and the roughness is never gratuitous.There are many moments that were so uproariously funny, I can't recall the last time I have laughed so hard. There are comedians, very successful ones, that can become somewhat grating after a very short time. Not so Bernie Mac. Bernie is so easy to relate to, he makes the commonplace seem like a new adventure. A new, very funny adventure. Toothless barflies, AARP, a crooked nephew, the entertainment industry, aging, paternity confusion, and an interesting portrayal of gangster rap are all fair targets in this unexpectedly great movie. The pacing is fast and steady, and while the plot is a little derivative, Bernie Mac and Samuel L Jackson make it work wonderfully.The only faults I found in this movie mainly had to do with continuity. Nit pickers will have a field day. But for people like me, people who like decent movies and like Bernie Mac and Samuel Jackson, these puny things matter not.This is not family entertainment. Leave the kids, the prudes, and the self-righteous at home. If you enjoy the comedy styling of Bernie Mac, and you enjoy A-list performers like Samuel L. Jackson, you are going to have a great time.
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Bernie Mac Deserved A Better Send Off . . .
posted on 16 Aug 2009Samuel L. Jackson and the late comedian Bernie Mac team up as blues singers in "Undercover Brother" director Malcolm D. Lee's new movie "Soul Men" (** out of ****), a raunchy, R-rated, musical comedy that co-stars late rhythm & blues legend Isaac Hayes. The camaraderie between the cantankerous Jackson and the comedic Mac surpasses their half-witted shenanigans as they embark on a cross-country trip to pay tribute to a dead lead singer with whom they once shared the limelight. Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone's episodic script trots out all the obligatory jokes about Viagra, rectal exams, and infidelity. Our heroes emerge from obscurity and find redemption and success where they least expected. Ironically, "Soul Men" fares better as a drama about two washed-up blues brothers struggling to make a comeback than as a comedy of errors. Although neither Jackson nor Mac can tote a tune in a bucket, they conjure up more than enough charisma to compensate for their lack of vocal talent. Basically, "Soul Men" boils down to an African-American spin on "The Sunshine Boys" meet "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" with a hefty part of the plot taking place in Memphis, Tennessee."Soul Men" unfolds like a VH-1 music documentary as we learn about the soul trio Marcus Hooks and the Real Deal. These fellas start out warbling on Memphis street corners and wind up in the big time. Eventually, Marcus (Johnny Legend, a.k.a. John Stephens) abandons his back-up singers, Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson of "Pulp Fiction") and Floyd Henderson (Bernie Mac of "Transformers"), to pursue a solo career. Marcus finds fame, but our heroes—the Real Deal—burn out as one-hit wonders. Creative differences drive them apart in 1979 and they go their separate ways. Floyd reaps greater monetary fame promoting an L.A. car wash with bikini-clad babes soaping up bumpers, while Louis botches a bank robbery and serves time in prison."Soul Men" shifts from the past to the present. Floyd finds himself put out to pasture in a luxurious retirement village by his goofy son Duane (Mike Epps of "Next Friday") who has taken over his father's business. Predictably, Floyd gets bored playing golf and has to gobble Viagra galore to keep up with a voluptuous neighbor who wants his body more than his soul. Floyd suffers from insomnia. One night while watching television, he learns that Marcus has died during a concert performance in Stockholm. No sooner does Floyd hear about this tragedy than record label owner Danny Epstein (Sean Hayes of "The Bucket List") rings him up. Epstein wants Floyd and Louis to perform at Marcus' tribute at the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Naturally, Floyd leaps at the offer and looks up Louis.Louis, on the other hand, doesn't jump at the offer. Out on parole, Louis toils as a mechanic and lives in hopeless squalor. After a tough day at the garage, Louis comes home to his depressing apartment to find Floyd rummaging through his things. Before Floyd can say something, Louis decks him with a right cross to the jaw that crumples Floyd to the floor. When he recovers, Floyd tries to reason with Louis and begs him to appear at the Apollo so that he can reboot their blues singing career. Louis flatly refuses until Floyd tells him that they can pick up an easy twenty grand. Shrewd, cynical Louis reluctantly agrees to join Floyd, but only if Floyd gives Louis sixty per cent of the split and they drive across country rather than fly.A frustrated Floyd caves in to Louis' demands. They hit the road in a lime-green Cadillac and do a series of one-night performances at motel lounges across Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. Things get complicated along the way when they try to visit an old girlfriend, discover that she is dead, and meet her beautiful daughter, Cleo (Sharon Leal of "Dreamgirls"), who contends with an abusive boyfriend. Louis and Floyd rescue her from the boyfriend, Lester (Affion Crockett of "Compton Cowboy"), and she accompanies them. She finds her voice as a blues singer on the road. When our heroes chill in Memphis, local sensation Isaac Hayes offers Cleo a contract. While things soar from Cleo, everything goes south for our protagonists. Louis and Floyd get into trouble, end up in jail, and then Floyd pulls a real boner. The Memphis Police release Floyd, but they hold Louis since he has violated his parole. Floyd realizes he cannot sing solo at the Apollo, so he breaks his old partner out of jail. The surveillance camera footage makes the news. Now, our heroes are the object of a nation-wide manhunt, so when they arrive in Harlem, they have to dodge the N.Y.P.D.Predictably, everything works out. "Soul Men" qualifies as neither a great movie nor a good movie, more like a minor movie. However, you cannot take your eyes off either Samuel L. Jackson or Bernie Mac when they do their routines. They spend most of the film's 100 minute running time hurling hardcore expletives at each other. Depending on your sense of humor, you'll either hurt yourself laughing when they badmouth each other or you will hang your head in despair. Jackson and Mac are fun to watch, especially when they don their flashy outfits and perform choreographed dance numbers. Isaac Hayes pretty much plays himself in a subplot. Bernie Mac deserved a better film than "Soul Men" to conclude his career. Spike Lee's younger brother director Malcolm D. Lee wraps up the film with a tribute to Mac's career.