Soul Man (1986)

The Worst Film Ever

Brilliant and touching

Blistering performances.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This is such a funny movie with at least 5 laugh out moments + many other funny bits..great cast ayre gross is hilarious fantastic soundtrack,a film like this could never be made in these pc days so if you haven't seen it I suggest you find it watch it & laugh your head off...brilliant

This is a '87 comedy, I like much better, than I thought I would. The comedy chooses to take it's own path, on it's important subject, making for a much more entertaining one, where drama's thrown in too, with makes it one, with a few flavors, where a moment never dulls in this. It is a very unjustly criticized film, although as Tommy Howell, darkening his skin, he would be made out for an Indian, not a real black man, first off the bat. Howell's likable performance, is that of a rich kid, who's dream is to go to Harvard Law, only his parent's cut off his tuition, so he has to look for sources, elsewhere, where he finally resorts to going black and getting down. The film takes a few jabs at black people, and Tommy Howe'll's rendition of Prince and Stevie Wonder are priceless. This is a talented actor, a kid ahead of his talent. He falls for a black woman (Rae Dawn Chong in a really good mature performance) where the unexpected, lighter romantic moments, add more layers to it's originality,and work beautifully. He also beds a long haired hottie (Melora Hardin) her rich father played here, by would you believe Leslie Nielsen, who later punches Howell one later, in the gulliver. The movie takes digs too at basketballers, Howell quite popular on the team in one sense, you would say. Ayre Gross was fun as Howell's best friend, who accompanies him to the campus. The court defending scene, near the end, after Howell was busted was a very smart idea, as others in this smartly written script. Okay yes, it could of been taken as a more serious comedy, but it wouldn't be as entertaining, as this is a comedy that stands on it's own, and was a good opening to let in the near year that was '87. Still today, it'll be, as much fun as it was, back then. That title soundtrack rocks too, like many other things in this entertaining, smartly approached, set out film. Highly recommended.

This is a potentially great idea for movie, and it does live up to its potential. And it's funny enough. But it doesn't deal with the reality of what a kid posing as a black person really could, should or would suffer through. The ending is especially formulaic and predictable, or to also describe it, unrealistic. I'm not saying it's a dislikeable movie on any level, but it is a questionable one. To a degree, anyway. One scene that comes into mind is when Matt is trying to hide his "face" from his parents who are visiting. Predictable, but funny stuff. But not really necessary. I know this is a comedy, but just because it is, doesn't mean it shouldn't deal with serious issues.*** out of ****

When I started to watch this film I thought, not another teen movie. That's not to say it wasn't funny because it was hilarious but then something happened in the film as it began to give a message of racism in American society in particular(and the world by inference). The premise that a white student could become black just by using tanning pills is so ridiculous but if you get over that funny leap in belief and you give this film your time you will be rewarded with a sentimental love story with a anti-racist message and what's more, the movie makes you think- what if I were black? Would I be treated like that just on the basis of the colour(or color as you Americans spell it) of my skin?The main character Howell comes across as a bit of a j***k, pardon my language, at first but you see him mature with what he sees happening around him. His self importance disappears with every racist moment and we are left with not a broken man as maybe someone who had to put up with it all through their life (a Black person) but because he can go back to being seen as important in society (i.e. a white man) he is left enriched by the experience and an infinitely better person. The love angle is very well portrayed especially by two people who actually went on to get married after the movie in real life which just shows the chemistry between them on screen. The only thing after seeing this movie that I can see wrong with it is its competing ideas and themes- you are not sure what you have watched, was it a teen movie, love story, drama or anti-racist 'propaganda'. Personally as someone who likes all those types of movies I think it is the my greatest modern movie of all time. 10/10