Sadly Over-hyped

Beautiful, moving film.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

It was a straightforward almost Blue Brothers film, but who cares? It has music, honesty, and is truly a reminder of the sad loss of Bernie Mac. Many of the so called clichés are actually representative of so much that truly happens in life. This may not be the most important film in the world, but it's heart is in the right place. And it sings a certain song of life, friendship and forgiveness. That's all that it needs to provide. I am surprised that it received so much negativity on some pages. Just sit back and enjoy. If only the music business had so much respect for past legends. Sometimes it happens, and this also goes to show that some musicians really live from retaining their audience, as it is all they have that sustains them.

The 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 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.

I was not expecting a very good movie, but this turned out to be pretty well done. The plot was an old story, but they did a very good job keeping it fresh and not distractingly predictable. This would have been awful in the hands of anybody other than Bernie Mac and Samuel Jackson. Mac's expressions and his earnestness in selling a gag are irrepressible and Jackson knows when to be a straight man and when to deliver something special. Another re-write and some stronger direction would have made this a classic.During credits they run extended outtakes and an interview with Mac and it is handled with love and respect and it took the potentially creepy feeling of "their last appearance" away.