23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Soul Train, August 18, 2006
As we continue to be stifled by the almost unbearable, oppressive air of political correctness by the people who constantly complain about oppression, there is no doubt in my mind that Soul Man could not be made today.
For centuries, people have been using comedy as a way to explore issues that would be seen as didactic if addressed with a straight face. Literature giants like Voltaire used comedy to address social issues, with his story Candide being one of the funniest things I've ever read. Soul Man addresses racial issues in America; but because it's done with humor instead of drama, people see it as "making fun of" minorities rather than "helping" minorities.
Soul Man is a humorous film trying to help those who obviously have no sense of humor. A spoiled, rich white kid takes a lot of tanning pills, gets a jheri curl, and steals a scholarship meant for a black Harvard applicant because his father decided to stop supporting him. He finds out later he stole the scholarship from a woman (Rae Dawn Chong) who deserved it ten times more than he. C Thomas Howell grows and becomes more sensitive to black issues and blacks in general as he spends this brief period as a black man and falls in love with a black woman. He gains character and wisdom. And as he told his professor, played by James Earl Jones, he will never know what it's like to be black, because no matter how bad it got, he could always get out.
It doesn't make fun of blacks. It makes fun of whites who have their own closed-minded impressions. The stereotypical scenes in the movie come from the ignorance of the white characters, not the ignorance of the moviemakers.
Even though C. Thomas Howell's career unfairly suffered because of this BOLD movie, he did meet and end up marrying Rae Dawn Chong.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic!, May 28, 2006
This is a pure classic. Comedy gold. Everyone is at the top of their game in it, James Earl Jones C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross, a pre-Seinfeld Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The commentary by Steve Miner and C. Thomas Howell is cool and informative. They are bewildered at all the controversy this film caused, and so am I. Because in the 80's, I never heard any controversy about this film, because I was a kid, enjoying it. Anyone that says this film is racist is ignorant, or has no sense of humor. I wager both. This film pokes fun at stereotypes. Have fun with it. The more you make it taboo, the greater the backlash will be. Like I said, this is a classic. The 80's was the best decade ever.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very good work, July 25, 2005
i was watching vh1 and saw a clip of this movie i rented it the next day ever since i been hooked you know this show the world how people really think i was nine years old when this movie come out i give c.thomas howell 5 stars four trying to be black it was 1986 and you know what things will never be the same again i watch this movie and i feel good al over it has so many inspirational parts i wish we could go back to the eighties so many good movies to be made. it makes you feel so warm .its not at all racist we need more movies like this today its a real movie not fake.i hate people that always saw things are racist and thomas howell you the man good job bro
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