Mac shines in last role

In Soul Men, two former backup soul singers Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) and Floyd (Bernie Mac) travel cross country to perform at a tribute concert in honor of their famous former band leader. They haven't spoken to each other in 20 years but reluctantly agree to travel together for the tribute performance.

If the soul lives on after man, then the movie Soul Men could not have been graced with a more fitting title, and one that incorporate by chance those multiple meanings. A showcase for three extraordinary performers - Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, the movie is simultaneously an unscheduled farewell tribute to the latter two, whose sudden, untimely deaths occurred within a day of each other this past August, prior to what would be their last movie's release. The story of two backup singer has-beens of a once popular group who are pressured by promoters to get together again three decades later to pay tribute to their lead singer, Marcus Hooks (John Legend) who just died, Soul Men is a kind of musical memory lane road movie with lots of weirdly comical detours in between. Floyd (Bernie Mac) is a down in the dumps, bored and aimless leisure class insomniac, while Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) is a penniless but proud ex-con cellar dweller. The reunion of this depressed duo is far from smooth, to say the least. Resentment has barely subsided over the years, in connection with a long unresolved rivalry for the same woman. But those romantic grudges hardly seem to hold sway while the two make their way cross-country in Floyd's vintage chartreuse Eldorado convertible for the comeback concert at Harlem's Apollo, as both chase women from town to town, and Floyd keeps popping that Viagra. The production could have done without all the crude country yokel jokes as part of the itinerary of this incidental tribute in its own right to Hayes and Mac, but then who knew. Balancing out the vulgarities especially targeting older women for ridicule (okay, we forgive you this last time, Bernie) are musical interludes that just take your breath away. Beyond the language, there are some pretty hard-R scenes of sex, nudity and Viagra (an almost obligatory gag these days whenever the stars are over 50), so bringing the kids isn’t a terrific idea. That raunchiness clashes, however, with the tone of the overly broad supporting characters, including a too-eager intern (Adam Herschman) and Cleo’s hapless, gun-toting boyfriend (Affion Crockett). An impromptu deja vu rehearsal on a dusty road to 'I'm Your Puppet,' a rendezvous with Bernie Mac in a piano shaped coffin, of all places, and Isaac Hayes doing 'Never Can Say Goodby' over the closing credits are just some of the highlights. As for that closing sequence, Mac is shown in various outtakes and off-the-cuff moments cracking up the crew or a crowd of extras and speaking about how much he appreciates his career, saying that he’s determined to “cherish each doggone moment.” Bernie mac is at his best here and Samuel L. Jackson shines right along with him. So sad to see that one of his best movies, just happened to be his last one. Mac and Hayes will be greatly missed, but honor them by seeing this movie. A saddened 4 on my "Go See" scale.