Soul Man (1986): cast, story & where to watch
1986 · Film · ★ 5.4
Released in 1986, Soul Man is a comedy film directed by Steve Miner, running about 104 minutes. “He didn't give up, he got down.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A caucasian prospective grad student's affluent family won't pay his way through law school, so he takes tanning pills to darken his skin in order to qualify for an African-American scholarship at Harvard. He soon gets more than he bargained for, as he begins to learn what life is really like for blacks in America.
Who’s in it. Soul Man stars C. Thomas Howell as Mark Watson, Rae Dawn Chong as Sarah Walker, Arye Gross as Gordon Bloomfeld and James Earl Jones as Professor Banks, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.4/10, Soul Man has proved divisive with audiences. It went on to earn $35M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Soul Man page.
If you liked it. Fans of Soul Man tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Soul Man (1986)?
- In US, Soul Man is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Soul Man worth watching?
- Soul Man holds an audience score of 5.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Soul Man?
- Soul Man stars C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross, James Earl Jones and Melora Hardin.
- When was Soul Man released?
- Soul Man was released in 1986, with a runtime of about 104 minutes.