There 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.
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.