Review of Soul Men (2008) by Kemi J — 11 Feb 2009

Excellent film, and I prefer Malcolm D. Lee's work more than his more-famous cousin, Spike Lee. Lee did a great job in most recent memory in the college-buddies-grow-up-and-get-married "Best Man" as well as in the rite-of-passage "Roll Bounce.

" This is a more mature film, and I think pairing John Legend as the lead singer of a group called Marcus Hooks and the Real Deal was brilliant. Too bad Legend's Hooks had to die, because maybe if we knew him before he passed, we would've seen Legend attempt to act.

However, Sam Jackson and Bernie Mac pick up where their former group member left off: funny, swearing like sailors, with phenomenal stuntman, doo-wop dance moves. Bernie Mac left this earth not too long after this movie was finished (or about to be finished), but his rolling eyes, his sing-songy profanities and the marksmanship of a true comedian turned bona fide comic actor are present throughout the film as Henderson.

Sam Jackson, who's normally suited for more drama type or thriller roles, does just as well, going line for line, cuss for cuss or glare for glare with Bernie, from beginning to end as Hinds. Sharon Leal is not only beautiful, but looks great in anything, especially when Bernie's Henderson and Sam's Hinds visit their shared, one-time love Odetta--and see Odetta's daughter instead.

Sharon Leal looks great when Bernie and Sam first step into the house in Missouri, with a cigarette in her hand, wearing a yellow dress and a white apron. She does well in this film, showing her musical chops, i.

E. singing and playing the piano. Adam Herschman played a great peon to Sean Hayes' manager role. Affion Crockett was probably the third funniest character in the film, with his bug eyes (just like Mac's), unkempt hair, wannabe-thug mannerisms and comic lines--something so natural from his days on Nick Cannon's MTV spoof show.

Mike Epps, as talented and crazy as he is in previous movies, was definitely underutilized here. I love how Mac was able to go out w/ a bang: those two romps he had in the film (was the first, big-bone-ded woman Vanessa del Rio???) was about as much action as he needed to show the ins and outs of being a has-been musician trying to get back in the game.

Soul Men is definitely the real deal!