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Soul Men

Soul Men

2008100 minRMidcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Director
Malcolm D. Lee
Starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sharon Leal, Adam Herschman

Two former backup soul singers, Louis and Floyd, have not spoken to each other in 20 years, and reluctantly agree to travel across the country together to a reunion concert to honor their recently-deceased lead singer. Cleo, a beautiful young woman who is believed to be Floyd's daughter, accompanies them as a new singer.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Soul Men?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Soul Men streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, MovieSphere+ via Prime Video, Paramount+ via Apple TV, Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Soul Men?

Soul Men earns 8 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Soul Men worth watching?

Soul Men's Midcredits score is the 56th percentile of all films, from 18K ratings across 6 sources. 54% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

56th percentile

Better received than 56% of films

64th percentile among Comedy54th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)53rd
Approval (how many liked it)58th

62 /100

53rd percentile of all films

61st percentile among Comedy53rd percentile among 2000s

Critics 49 · Audience 64

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

54% liked it

58th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Comedy55th percentile among 2000s
54% rated it 7–1046% rated it 1–6

Critics 44% · Audience 57%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

86th percentile

18K ratings across platforms

84th percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$5.4M
Domestic gross$12M
Worldwide gross$12M

76th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Chemistry between Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac
  • Genuinely funny vulgar banter and off-script rants
  • Surprisingly good musical performances by the leads

Detractors panned

  • Formulaic road-trip comedy with tired Viagra/gross-out gags
  • Relentless profanity that feels gratuitous and boring
  • White characters portrayed as stupid or degrading

What stands out

Sound and music80

Catchy original performances, good soundtrack

ActingDivisive78

Strong lead chemistry carries the film

HumorDivisive65

Hard-core raunchy laughs vs. forced gross-out jokes

DialogueDivisive60

Crude, profane improvisation; detractors call it excessive

CharactersDivisive60

Estranged ex-singers with grudges, but thin supporting roles

Pacing55

Fast road trip rhythm, some drag in middle

Plot and story40

Predictable retread of buddy road-trip comedies

Originality30

Derivative mix of Blues Brothers and Grumpy Old Men

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 15 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Soul Men like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its crude buddy comedy straight, with genuine warmth beneath the vulgarity and a sincere arc of reconciliation.
The rideA lighthearted, upbeat comedy with occasional poignant moments, most emotionally heavy during the middle as old wounds are reopened.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning-middle-end journey from Los Angeles to New York, with no structural experimentation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe crude humor and reconciliation arc leave a warm, feel-good impression, but also bittersweet nostalgia given the tribute to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTwo estranged backup singers reluctantly reunite for a cross-country road trip to a tribute concert, with their bickering and reconciliation driving the comedy.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Legacy · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on mending a broken friendship after two decades of estrangement, while also reckoning with the past and what they leave behind.
StanceThe film celebrates the enduring power of friendship and the possibility of reconnection, even after long estrangement.

The world

ContemporaryIn transitUrbanRuralRealistic
Foreground music · original score · Stanley Clarke
Settingroad trip across America to a reunion concert
MusicFeatures original soul songs from the fictional band and a classic soul soundtrack.

Content guide

Is Soul Men okay for kids?

R

Soul Men is rated R: “Rated R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at intense (67/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (50/100) and frightening material at minimal (5/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • Germany16
  • Netherlands12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 83%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (64 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Soul Men have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Soul Men?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Samuel L. Jackson
as Louis Hinds
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bernie Mac
as Floyd Henderson
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sharon Leal
as Cleo
Adam Herschman
as Phillip
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sean Hayes
as Danny Epstein
Affion Crockett
as Lester
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jackie Long
as Zig-Zag
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mike Epps
as Duane Henderson
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Legend
as Marcus Hooks
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Isaac Hayes
as Isaac Hayes

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Soul Men?

Movies like Soul Men include The Stöned Age (1994), Dragnet (1987) and Get Him to the Greek (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, half are road movies, and most are films set in Los Angeles.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Soul Men?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.