USA Today
"[I]t works surprisingly well. Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac make a winning duo in the bawdy buddy road-trip picture SOUL MEN." 11/07/2008Los Angeles Times
"[T]he laughs build and you realize that Mac is pulling them out of some unseen top hat." 11/07/2008 New York Times
"SOUL MEN is a raucous, rambling comedy....[T]he soundtrack of well-made soul covers and the cruder music of Mr. Jackson and Mr. Mac's foulmouthed one-upmanship provide a measure of satisfaction." 11/07/2008 Variety
"[Mac and Jackson] appear to be having a ball doing the musical numbers, which are infectious....[The film] manages to hit just enough of the right notes to serve as a respectable coda to Mac's legacy." 11/03/2008 Variety
"[Mac and Jackson] appear to be having a ball doing the musical numbers, which are infectious....[The film] manages to hit enough of the right notes to serve as a respectable coda to Mac's legacy." 11/03/2008 Rolling Stone
"SOUL MEN is a chance to salute these masters of mirth and music. Take it." 11/13/2008 p.101 Hollywood Reporter
"This contemporary riff on THE SUNSHINE BOYS generally manages to succeed...thanks to the entertaining performance by Mac and co-star Samuel L. Jackson and its generous doses of raucous humor and sweet soul music." 11/03/2008 Reel.com 8 of 10
It's a damn shame. As a stand-up, Bernie Mac had no equal. He even made a winning transition to television with his hit semi-autobiographical sitcom. But as an actor, success as the lead in a major motion picture seemed to elude him. Sure, Mac made appearances in such monster hits as Ocean's 11 and Transformers, but his contributions were in supporting roles. That's why it's a shame he had to die before Soul Men could hit theaters. Under the watchful eye of growing genre ace Malcolm D. Lee, Mac finally finds a main character to match his oversized abilities. While not his actual swan song, it becomes a fitting, if ironic, finale...You can tell that Soul Men is a movie at war with itself. On the one hand you instantly recognize the cliche-riddled plotting of writers Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone...And then there's the pure comedic chemistry of Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson. When they spar, when they leave the lame scripting behind and turn their penchant for improvised profanity and street lingo into beat down gold, the movie magically comes alive. Luckily, director Lee knows which side of the smack his movie's achievement is founded on. While the ending relies more on mechanics than four-letter wordplay, Mac and Jackson keep things from getting too manipulative...During the film's frequent musical interludes, Mac and Jackson show a knack for selling a song that's infectious. The soundtrack, a combination of contemporary material and old soul/Stax classics, offers enough toe-tapping energy to light up a dozen derivative flicks, and you can tell our stars are having the time of their lives while up on the stage. With two-thirds of the film functioning properly, Soul Men can be forgiven for its occasional lapses. It's a fitting accolade to a fallen funnyman. - Bill Gibron
Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
"Soul Men" is the one that's really going to make you miss Bernie Mac. He's so filled with life and energy here that it's hard to believe ... well, anyway. It will make you miss him. He found his comfort zone in mainstream comedies, of which I have liked nine of 12. When an edgy director like Terry Zwigoff came into the picture with "Bad Santa" (2003), he allowed Bernie Mac a little more depth...In "Soul Men," there are scenes that hint at what he might have done in a dramatic role. It's a formula comedy, but there are real feelings here that we suspect would exist in this troubled struggle between musicians who haven't played together in 20 years. In the end credits, there are generous tributes to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, also in the film, both gone from us within two days in August [2008]. Bernie gets the last, touching, word. And you know, even if I mentioned a possible heavy dramatic role, I never felt he was a comedian with a sad man inside. In the credit cookies, he talks about his good luck while thanking a theater audience (of extras) for his career, and we believe him. He seems like a comedian with a happy man inside...This movie has a lot of good music in it, some on the soundtrack, some on the screen. Jackson and Bernie Mac have enormous fun doing intricate dance moves together. Isaac Hayes has a farewell role worthy of our memories. Of the actors, only John Legend is a little stiff, although he goes through a timeline of costumes and hair styles in the flashbacks. You want a good time? "Soul Men" will provide it. You want to say goodbye to Bernie Mac? He wants to say goodbye to you. - Roger Ebert
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