Soul Men (2008)

Director:

Malcolm D. Lee

Writers (WGA):

Robert Ramsey (written by) &
Matthew Stone (written by)

Release Date:

7 November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Out of sync. Never out of style.

Plot:

Though it's been some twenty years since they have spoken with one another, two estranged soul-singing legends agree to participate in a reunion performance at the Apollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band leader.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Reunion | Tribute | Box Office Flop | Concert

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Louis Hinds
Bernie Mac	...	Floyd Henderson
Sharon Leal	...	Cleo
Adam Herschman	...	Phillip
Sean Hayes	...	Danny Epstein
Affion Crockett	...	Lester
Fatso-Fasano	...	Pay-Pay (as Fatso Fasano)
Jackie Long	...	Zig-Zag
Mike Epps	...	Duane Henderson
John Legend	...	Marcus Hooks
Isaac Hayes	...	Himself
Vanessa del Rio	...	Full-Figured Neighbor
P.J. Byrne	...	Floyd's Doctor
Ken Davitian	...	Ardesh Kezian
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Rosalee
Sara Erikson	...	Chastity
Soledad O'Brien	...	Herself
Randy Jackson	...	Narrator (voice)
Jackie Johnson	...	Weather Woman
Shane Sampson	...	Henderson Twin #1
Dylan Sampson	...	Henderson Twin #2
Bart Hansard	...	Flagstaff Lounge Manager
Michael Brouillet	...	Keyboard Player (Flagstaff)
Sean Goulding	...	Trombone Player (Flagstaff) (as Sean Robert Goulding)
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Emmett the Drunk
Clay Yocum	...	Audience Member (Flagstaff)
Juan Gabriel Pareja	...	Tow Truck Driver (as Juan Pareja)
Lara Grice	...	Peabody Desk Clerk
Paul T. Taylor	...	Peabody Hotel Manager (as Paul Taylor)
Monyetta Shaw	...	Odetta
Jody Thompson	...	Deputy
Maurice DuBois	...	Newscaster
Miko DeFoor	...	Apollo Stage Manager
Michael Showers	...	Detective in Charge
Millie Jackson	...	Claudette
Willie Hall	...	Himself
Ben Cauley	...	Himself
Charles 'Skip' Pitts	...	Himself (as Skip Pitts)
Scott Bomar	...	Bassist
Archie 'Hubie' Turner	...	Keyboard
Art Edmaiston	...	Baritone Saxophone
Marc Franklin	...	Trombone
Robin Moffett	...	Female Singer
Ketrick Robinson	...	Male Singer
Michael Franklin	...	Trumpet Player
Jovan 'Jr.' Taylor	...	Baritone Sax Player
Nathan Adams	...	Tenor Sax Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael C. 'Mike' Allen	...	NYC Police Officer (uncredited)
LaVita Brooks	...	Hotel Guest (uncredited)
NyaSimone Caldwell	...	Henderson daughter (uncredited)
Keenan Carter	...	Young Louis Hinds (uncredited)
Gary D. Earl	...	Officer Harris (uncredited)
Ron Fagan	...	Hotel Couple - Man (uncredited)
Ted Ferguson	...	Dancing Cowboy (uncredited)
Michael Franklin	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
Beth Hebert	...	Masseuse (uncredited)
Cindy McBride	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Lee Ann McDade	...	Apollo Audience Member / House of Blues Audience Member (uncredited)
Donald Meyers	...	Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Joey Robinson	...	Foxy Lady (uncredited)
Franklin Ojeda Smith	...	Impersonator / Isaac Hayes (voice) (uncredited)
Calvin Sykes	...	Younger Floyd Henderson (uncredited)
Kenon Walker	...	Beale St. Patron (uncredited)
Thomas Wallace	...	News Photographer (uncredited)
Steven Whitemon	...	Officer White (uncredited)

Directed by
Malcolm D. Lee

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Ramsey		(written by) &
Matthew Stone		(written by)

Produced by
Charles Castaldi	....	producer
David T. Friendly	....	producer
Steve Greener	....	producer
W. Mark McNair	....	executive producer (as Mark McNair)
Donald Sparks	....	associate producer (as Donald L. Sparks)
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stanley Clarke

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
William Henry		(as Bill Henry)
Paul Millspaugh

Casting by
Aisha Coley
Lisa Mae Fincannon
Chris Gray

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Meghan C. Rogers

Set Decoration by
Brenda Meyers-Ballard

Costume Design by
Danielle Hollowell

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist: Mr. Jackson (as Allan Apone)
Andrea Bowman	....	assistant hair stylist (as Andrea 'Mona' Bowman)
Erica Brunson	....	makeup artist
Kerri Bunn	....	makeup artist: Memphis
Teressia Carter	....	hair stylist: Mr. Mac
Krystal Kershaw	....	assistant makeup artist
Susan Laprelle	....	hair technician
Linda Lazar	....	additional makeup artist
Pauletta O. Lewis	....	key hair stylist (as Pauletta O. Lewis-Irwin)
Vonda K. Morris	....	makeup department head
LeDiedra Richard-Baldwin	....	key makeup artist (as Le Diedra Richard-Baldwin)
Yolanda Sheridan	....	makeup artist
Robert L. Stevenson	....	department head hair stylist (as Robert Louis Stevenson)
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker: Samuel Jackson, Bernie Mac
Crystal Woodford	....	assistant hair stylist (as Crystal R. Woodford)
Dionne Wynn	....	assistant makeup artist
Adam Brandy	....	special makeup effects laboratory technician: lace hair piece prep (uncredited)

Production Management
Jeff Maynard	....	executive in charge of post-production
Carey Len Smith	....	post-production executive
Matthew Stein	....	executive in charge of production
Jen Wall	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brad Arnold	....	second second assistant director
Karen Davis	....	second assistant director
Donald Sparks	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Keith Abel	....	on-set dresser
Aaron Boutte	....	art production assistant
Marcia Bruscato-Poss	....	construction buyer
Todd Clevenger	....	scenic artist
Nick S. Cross	....	art department production assistant
Ken Deubel III	....	lead scenic
Will E. Drummond	....	set dresser
Frank Gray III	....	set dresser: Memphis
Frank Hendrick	....	set dresser
Nicole LeBlanc	....	art department coordinator
Joe McCusker	....	construction coordinator
Bryce Moore	....	assistant property master
Roy 'Bucky' Moore	....	property master
Jessica Navran	....	set designer
Noel Rideout	....	set dresser
Corie Savary	....	art department production assistant
Nicholas Scott	....	assistant art director
Greg Washington	....	construction medic
John N. Wood	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist
Derek Casari	....	stage engineer
Bob Chefalas	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Rick Chefalas	....	assistant sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Greg Crawford	....	adr mixer: Atlanta
Robert Eber	....	sound mixer
Scott Edelson	....	boom operator
Ryan Farris	....	sound utility: daily
Eric Hirsch	....	sound re-recordist
Mike Howells	....	adr recordist
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr mixer
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Roy Machado	....	adr mixer
Paloma Mele	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Jac Rubenstein	....	dialogue editor
Wyatt Sprague	....	sound effects editor
Lidia Tamplenizza	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Urmson	....	supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer
Steven Visscher	....	supervising foley editor
Chris Welcker	....	utility sound dayplayer
Aaron Zeller	....	production ProTools operator
Aaron Zeller	....	sound utility
Lawrence Zipf	....	apprentice sound editor

Special Effects by
Matt Corrigan	....	dead body technician
Matt Kutcher	....	special effects supervisor
Matt Mehring	....	special effects technician
Gary Pilkinton	....	special effects foreman
James Scaramuzzo	....	special effects assistant
Robert Vazquez	....	special effects supervisor (as Bob Vazquez)

Visual Effects by
Cara Buckley	....	visual effects producer: RhinoFX
Matt Connolly	....	animator
Camille Geier	....	visual effects executive producer: RhinoFX
Mickey Gorenstein	....	Flame compositor: RhinoFX
Lucien Harriot	....	visual effects producer: Mechanism Digital
Lucien Harriot	....	visual effects supervisor: Mechanism Digital, Inc.
Karin Levinson	....	production executive: RhinoFX
Yuval Levy	....	CG supervisor: RhinoFX
Ashley Lomax	....	modeler: RhinoFX
Bogdan Mihajlovic	....	matchmove technical director: RhinoFX
David W. Reynolds	....	Flame compositor: RhinoFX
David W. Reynolds	....	digital compositor
Jim Rider	....	visual effects supervisor: RhinoFX
Traceigh Scottel	....	production supervisor: visual effects unit
Michael Viscione	....	lighter: RhinoFX
Richard Weissman	....	Flame compositor

Stunts
Bobby Aldridge	....	stunt performer
Kiante Elam	....	stunt double
Norman Epperson	....	precision driver
Justin Rodgers Hall	....	stunt double
Malosi Leonard	....	stunts
Terry Leonard	....	stunt coordinator: Los Angeles
Ed McDermott II	....	precision driver
Buddy Sosthand	....	stunt double: Bernie Mac

Camera and Electrical Department
Pierre Ash	....	electrician
Mike Barnett	....	ultimate arm operator
Don Bixby	....	gaffer
Robert Branam	....	video assist technician
Jayson S. Coddington	....	grip
Oswald Colunga	....	grip
Justin Cooley	....	film loader
Christopher Crowther	....	rigging electrician
Rene Crusto	....	grip
James 'Spud' Danicic	....	ultimate arm technician
Robert Duke	....	grip
Ferdinand Duplantier Jr.	....	rigging gaffer
Chris Fisher	....	first assistant camera
Charles 'Tom' Hinson	....	rigging best boy
Jeff Hinz	....	key rigging grip
Doug Hyun	....	still photographer
Bill Jackson	....	lighting technician
Daniel H. Jacobs	....	electrician
Brad Keyes	....	rigging grip
Jerry D. Knight	....	electrician
Krystle Lamoreaux	....	grip
Krystle Lamoreaux	....	rigging grip
Marc Marino	....	best boy electric
Tim Marshall	....	gaffer
Wayne Marshall	....	electrician
John T. Martin	....	key grip
Johnathon R. Martin	....	grip
Markus Mentzer	....	second assistant camera
Joshua Miller	....	electrician
Amy Newman	....	dimmer board operator
Coby Nissen	....	lighting technician
Brandon Ponticelle	....	second assistant camera
Mark Santoni	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Todd Thompson	....	dolly grip
Jimi Udel	....	grip
Stephen J. Ullman	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Stephen J. Ullman	....	steadicam operator
Charles B. Walker	....	rigging grip
Roger Wall	....	assistant camera
Ernie Wann	....	grip
Kristopher Weaver	....	rigging electric
Alex Willson	....	rigging electrician

Casting Department
Anne Davison	....	casting associate: New York
Brandon Sonny DeSorbo	....	extras casting
Salina Duplessis	....	casting intern
Gary D. Earl	....	extras casting assistant
Taleia Gilliam	....	casting intern
Juan Carlos Ortiz-Duran	....	extras casting scout
LaTanya Potts	....	casting associate
Selisa Sirls	....	extras casting
Jackie Sollitto	....	casting assistant
Steven Whitemon	....	extras casting assistant (as Steven Whiteman)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sona Amroyan	....	set costumer
Myeshea Baker	....	set costumer
Leigh Bell	....	set costumer
Doré Cermak	....	costume production assistant
Jim Alan Cook	....	costumer
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	stylist: Mr. Jackson (as Askia Jacob)
La Shan Knox	....	set costumer
Whitney Kyles	....	assistant costume designer
Richard Schoen	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jill-Morgan Aubert	....	apprentice editor
Brian Boyd	....	digital preview colorist
Ernest Leif Boyd	....	first assistant editor
Lynn Cassaniti	....	apprentice editor
Jimmy Fusil	....	digital intermediate producer
Ann Gray	....	post-production coordinator
David Sooc	....	apprentice editor
Benjamin Sutor	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Scott Bomar	....	music producer: song
Portia Griffin	....	background vocals
Winston A. Hall	....	piano consultant
Lawrence Manchester	....	score mixer
Lawrence Manchester	....	score recordist
Matt Mariano	....	composer: additional music
Matt Mariano	....	musician: Synths
Eric J. Paul	....	assistant music editor (as Eric Paul)
Charles 'Skip' Pitts	....	musician
Seth Riggs	....	music vocal coach
Jason Stasium	....	score mixer
Alex Steyermark	....	executive music producer
Robin Urdang	....	music consultant
E. Gedney Webb	....	supervising music editor
Will Wheaton	....	background vocals

Transportation Department
Mark Bascle	....	security driver: Samuel L. Jackson
Nalla Black	....	driver: Tennessee
Richard Burch	....	driver: insert car
Paul Castillo	....	transportation
J.J. Echavarria	....	picture car coordinator assistant
Johnny Echavarria	....	picture car coordinator
Monte Emery	....	camera truck driver: Tennessee
Greg Faucett	....	transportation coordinator
Phil K. Frost	....	driver
Monica W. Fuller	....	driver (as Monica Williamson)
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Gerald Hardy	....	driver
Connie Herring	....	transportation co-captain
Robert Jepson	....	driver: cast
Aaron D. Moore	....	driver: hair/makeup
Lonnie Nelson	....	transportation captain
Beverly Reeves	....	driver
Michael Scotty	....	insert car driver
Steven Willhoite	....	driver: production van
James Yeates	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Heather Babineaux	....	key craft service
Stephanie Beman	....	assistant craft service
Alex Borys	....	location manager
Karen Brady	....	key assistant location manager
David Brown	....	accounting clerk (as David Addison Brown)
Richard E. Carter II	....	set production assistant
Je'Niece Childress	....	assistant: Mr. Mac
Robert Cline	....	on-set medic
Brooke Coleman	....	production secretary
Keiann Collins	....	dialogue coach: Mr. Mac
Amanda Curry	....	first assistant accountant
Christina DeCharles	....	assistant location manager
Jordan Brendan Finnegan	....	assistant: Mr. Castaldi (as Jordan Finnegan)
Jonathan Frey	....	assistant: Mr. Friendly, Shreveport
Jerry D. Funderburk	....	extras coordinator
Karen Gehres	....	epk producer
Jeffrey Gladu	....	payroll accountant
Chris Goyne	....	set production assistant
Will Greenfield	....	assistant production coordinator
Matthew K. Grigsby	....	production accountant
Vealer Harris	....	cast liason
Mariah Breitel Hembree	....	post script services (as Mariah Breitel)
Paul Huber	....	set production assistant
Kendrick Hudson	....	location scout
Jim Jaffe	....	product placement executive
Margeaux C. Johnson	....	production secretary
Phyllis Johnson	....	adr loop group
Matthew Keim	....	location assistant
Kumi Kimball	....	executive assistant: Mr. Hayes
Martin Lane	....	location manager: Memphis
Jessica Lee	....	clearance coordinator (as Jessica M. Lee)
Eric Majette Jr.	....	production assistant
Adryan Maney	....	accounting clerk
Michael Maxwell	....	caterer
Volney McFarlin	....	assistant: Mr. Jackson
Phillip Messinger	....	location scout
Christie Moreau	....	adr loop group
Kevin Muller	....	assistant production coordinator: LA unit
Brian Nailing	....	cook
Ian D. Navran	....	production assistant
Talibah Lateefah Newman	....	assistant: Mr. Lee
Bill Parris	....	production assistant
JD Piché	....	production assistant
Deanna Plascencia	....	executive assistant: Mr. Greener
Jessica Powers	....	office production assistant
Ashley Renee Saunders	....	travel coordinator
Nina Saxon	....	title designer
Tracey Schaefer	....	unit publicist (as Tracey Zemitis)
Dee Schuka	....	post production accountant
Jamal Sims	....	choreographer
Amy Sobin	....	script supervisor
Christopher Tanks	....	assistant: Mr. McNair (as Chris Tanks)
Michelle Tonjes	....	stand-in (as Michelle Lott)
Amanda Toye	....	assistant: Mr. Friendly, Los Angeles
Robert Vega	....	title designer
Tucker Wells	....	key set production assistant (as Justin Tucker Wells)
Jen Willis	....	production assistant

Thanks
Cedric B. Glover	....	special thanks (as Mayor Cedric B. Glover)
Isaac Hayes	....	dedicatee
Felipe Linz	....	special thanks
Bernie Mac	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Dimension Films
• Friendly Films (II)

Distributors

• Alliance Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Culture Publishers (CP) (2010) (Japan) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Genius Products (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• High Fliers Distribution (2011) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (all media)

Special Effects

• RhinoFX (visual effects) (as Rhino FX)
• Spectrum Effects

Other Companies

• Nina Saxon Film Design  titles
• Allied Integrated Marketing  poster design (uncredited)
• C5  foley recording facility
• Capitol Studios  songs recorded at
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  stabilized remote camera systems
• Corbis  stock footage and images
• Getty Images  stock footage and images
• LA House of Props  product placement: manufacturer
• Legacy Recording Studios  songs mixed at (as Legacy Studios, NYC)
• Looking Glass Studios  score recorded at
• Louisiana Media Productions  production services
• Mike Maxwell and Company  catering
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Orbit Digital  thanks
• PostWorks, The Lab  processing
• Postworks New York  HD dailies
• Scarlet Letters  end title sequence
• Searchworks  additional clearances (as Searchworks Research and Clearance)
• Searchworks  music clearances (as Searchworks Research and Clearance)
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  stock footage
• Sound One  re-recorded at
• Sound One  thanks
• Soundtrack  sound re-recording facility
• Stax Records  soundtrack
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting
• University of Texas Libraries  stock footage and images
• Vivid Entertainment  stock footage and images

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Both this film and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) are dedicated to Bernie Mac.

Goofs:

Continuity: (At approx 18-20 min) Louis is in the Eldorado with Floyd and they flash a silver .38 pistol. Then after they almost crash the .38 is now a black .22 pistol

Movie Connections:

References In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Soundtrack:

Hot Hot Hot

The Ultimate Movie Review! - http://tss5078.blogspot.com - @tss5078

Soul Men was a film that was racked with problems right from the start. Originally the film kept getting pushed back because of a law suit by the R&B group, Sam & David, which claimed it to be a farce on their life story. The group also accused the producers of copyright infringement for using their style and the title of one of their songs, "Soul Man". The law suit was finally settled and the movie was released in 2008. Then, days before the films release, two of it's stars, Bernie Mac and Issac Hayes, died on back to back days, a tragedy that created a public relations nightmare. For those reasons, this film wasn't widely distributed or advertised, which is a shame because it was one terrific film. The story starts 30 years after a legendary R&B group, Marcus Hooks & The Real Deal, broke up. We see the remaining members, Samuel L. Jackson in trouble with the law, and Bernie Mac, living in a retirement community, when they learn about the sudden death of Hooks. Record executives, quick to capitalize on his death, organize a tribute show at the Apollo in New York, and invite the Real Deal to participate. This means that two men who hate each other and haven't performed in almost 30 years, need to get their act together in a hurry if they want the big pay day and a chance at a come back. The film is an absolute riot, with Mac as the old lonely man and Jackson as the bitter forgotten convict. Their chemistry was nothing short of amazing and the big surprise was that both men can actually sing and dance! Even though they must have said mother f'er about a thousand times, I found the film to be very clever, funny, and original. If it wasn't for all the problems it had, this movie would have done much better than it did and it is without a doubt, worth watching.