‘Soul Men’ takes a raunchy road trip

It says a lot about the late, great Bernie Mac that "Soul Men" is not even close to being his final movie.

The hard-working comedian has three more films in post-production (he also contributes vocal work to "Madagascar 2"), a testament to the work ethic he brought to his stand-up and his acting, an attribute that's exactly right for his role in "Soul Men."

He plays Floyd Henderson, singer-turned-businessman, who's grappling unhappily with retirement when he's offered a chance to re-ignite his music career.

When the lead singer (John Legend) of his old soul group dies, Floyd and fellow sideman Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson) are offered a chance to reunite for a big tribute show at the Apollo. Gung-ho Floyd is all for it, but he must persuade a reluctant Louis, now an ex-con still angry at Floyd for a dispute over a woman that shattered what was left of their band.

Yep, it's the "Sunshine Boys" all over again, wedged into a road-movie that has Floyd and Louis driving all the way from California to New York, with slapstick stops along the way - plenty of jokes about Viagra and pot bellies. The show-stopper finds Floyd in bed with a groupie who demonstrates a technique that begins with the removal of dentures.

That's a heads-up for parents. The movie is directed by Malcolm Lee, known for family comedies like "Roll Bounce" and "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins," but this movie is definitely an "R" for raunchy.

And given the number of f-bombs dropped here, you wonder whether the script may have been doctored by Chase Utley. Jackson has been hailed as a master of the word and its variations, but it must be said that Bernie Mac gives him a run for his money.

"Soul Men" won't win points for taste or originality. As the soul men make a stop in Memphis to visit an old girlfriend, they discover a young woman (Sharon Leal) who is very probably a daughter to one of them. It's a band-reunion, who's-your-daddy subplot straight out of "Mamma Mia."

Director Lee bets everything on chemistry, and gets a decent pay-off from the casting of Jackson and Bernie Mac. They're very game and fearless, and Bernie Mac is characteristically willing to do anything for a laugh.

It brings an unexpected poignance to the movie's final scenes, which might have been a tacky mess. The finale takes place at the funeral tribute, and finds Louis and Floyd literally making a grand entrance in a coffin. To boot, the master of ceremonies is played by Isaac Hayes.

If there is any doubt as to whether the late comic might have approved, "Soul Men" erases it with a Bernie Mac interview that runs over the closing credits, during which he re-affirms that his craft always started with a commitment to his audience. *

Produced by David T. Friendly, Charles Castaldi, Steve Greener; directed by Malcolm Lee; written by Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone; distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer.