Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Soul Men

MPA Rating: R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity.

Reviewed by: Mia J. Best
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Extremely Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Music Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 43 min.
Year of Release: 2008
USA Release: November 7, 2008 (wide—2,000 theaters)
DVD release: February 10, 2008
Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) / The Weinstein Company

Music in the Bible

NUDITY—Why are humans supposed to wear clothes? Answer

Fornication

How can I deal with temptations? Answer

Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

How can I be and feel forgiven? Answer

Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.
Featuring Samuel L. Jackson
Bernie Mac
Jennifer Coolidge
LaVita Brooks, Michael Brouillet, P.J. Byrne, Keenan Carter, Affion Crockett, Ken Davitian, Miko DeFoor, Sara Erikson, Fatso-Fasano, Ted Ferguson, John Foster, Sean Goulding, Lara Grice, Bart Hansard, Isaac Hayes, Sean Hayes, Adam Herschman, Laurie Johnson, Sharon Leal, John Legend, Jackie Long, Eric Kelly McFarland, Ritchie Montgomery, Monyetta Shaw, Michael Showers, Matthew Stanton, Calvin Sykes, Calvin Sykes, Paul T. Taylor, Jody Thompson, Traci, Chuck Vail, Thomas Wallace
Director Malcolm D. Lee — “Roll Bounce,” “Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins,” “The Best Man,” “Undercover Brother
Producer Dimension Films, Charles Castaldi, David T. Friendly, Steve Greener, Mark McNair, Donald Sparks, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Distributor
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Trademark logo.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(MGM), owned by Amazon® through MGM Holdings, Inc.

“Out of sync. Never out of style.”

Before there were pop boy bands, there were soul men like The Chi-lites, The Delfonics, Four Tops and Temptations. Director Malcolm Lee’s comedy “Soul Men,” takes audiences for a nostalgic trip down music memory lane as the former musical stars and now senior citizens Henderson and Hinds attempt a musical comeback after more than 20 years. Starring the late Bernie Mac, with his acerbic and sardonic comedic style, as Floyd Henderson and Samuel L. Jackson as a bitter Louis Hinds, this trip is a rough ride overrun by profanity-laced dialog, heavy violence and sexuality.

Despite their hatred of one another, Henderson and Hinds unite to perform at a memorial service. On route to the service, they relive their tour days by performing at local dive clubs, hooking up with female groupies and fighting with each other. Of course, they encounter several obstacles before getting to the memorial service, which force them to become more of a team and help them resolve their personal issues with each other.

Within the first few minutes of the film, the barrage of profanity begins and doesn't relent for the entire movie. The dialogue is not only profane, but verbally abusive, caustic and overall truculent. A key source of the comedy is derived from Henderson and Hinds insulting one another with combative, curse-filled language. In the midst of this onslaught of foul language, the Lord's name is taken in vain and characters spar with racial insults. Sexuality, nudity and violence are also used to elicit laughter.

Henderson and Hinds are a volatile pair who don't agree on much of anything except their disdain for one another and their mutual love for their former lead singer whom both of them married. The Bible provides a guide for resolving grievances in Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus tells his disciples that if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault alone, one-on-one. If he refuses to hear you, then take one or two more witnesses. If he continues to resist, tell it to the church. Finally, if he refuses to hear the church, “you'll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God's forgiving love” (The Message Bible). But the lesson doesn't stop there. When Peter asks how many times should you forgive your brother, up to seven times? Jesus responds, “70 times seven” (Matthew 18:21-35).

Henderson and Hinds learning to forgive each other is the only redeeming factor in this comedy with predictable scenarios and dirty talk. I found this picture to be extremely offensive throughout, with profanity as the key punch-line to most of the jokes. I cannot recommend this movie for the crude humor, foul language, fornication and nudity.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


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