"Soul Men" Finds the Funny Bone

    Why did I rent "Soul Men?" One word, or maybe three: Samuel L. Jackson. Ever since his portrayal of Jules Winnfield in the Ouentin Tarantino classic "Pulp Fiction," I have been a big fan. If you take Actor Jackson, combine him with Bernie Mac at his best, put them hurtling headlong across America in a vintage El Dorado (Cadillac), named the "Mutha Ship," after being estranged for 20 years, toward Harlem and the Apollo Theater, and you have the makings for a pretty good story on film.

    Jackson as Louis Hinds and Mac as Floyd Henderson are two old collaborators and former friends, who learned to hate each other and now must rekindle that spark, or resume their twilight years in the throws of boring anonymity. These former soul singers / background dancers were forsakened by their lead singer Marcus Hooks, played by singer John Legend, when he developed a solo career, and life just turned bad for both - especially Louis. They have five days to reach the Apollo for the Marcus Hooks memorial concert and that's just enough time for them to get into plenty of trouble.

    Look for Isaac Hayes in a small role as they meet along the way in Memphis and at the Apollo. Sharon Leal does a turn as Cleo, the discovered daughter with some soul voice, and Jennifer Coolidge, as Rosalee the barfly, teaches Floyd about the "Velveteen Rub." Combine all this with a kicking soul soundtrack - some of the tunes are original - and the you have a good time - but not with the kids. The language and the sexual content is substantive.

    Rated R. 100 minutes. Released on DVD February 10, 2009.