How to get into Harvard.

 

Soul Man (1986)

Directed by Steve Miner 

When the great minds of New World Pictures got together to discuss putting out a comedy I'm gonna guess this was not their first choice. Who ever sold this is a genius. Hey I got an idea for a movie, How about a young rich white guy becomes a black man and takes someone scholarship. SOLD! We'll get C. Thomas Howell to star. SOLD! Top it off we'll trick Darth Vader into the film too. SOLD! I'm just guessing that's how it went.

The very original Soul Man was directed by Steve Miner, from Warlock and Forever Young fame.  It stars C. Thomas Howell as the funny white guy that turns black. Fresh off Commando comes Rae Dawn Chong, playing the same character she always play. Rounding out this stellar cast is Arye Gross, that guy from House II, as the wise ass best friend Gordo. We also have Darth Vader himself James Earl Jones, bet he is tickled pink to know this movie still comes on TV.

*Some notable cameos in this movie include the amazing Leslie Nielsen and  Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Soul Man starts off with Howell as Mark Watson, a young bright rich kid that gets into Harvard. But his parents throw a curve ball and decide not to pay for it. Poor Mark, what will he do next? Good old Mark finds a scholarship for Harvard but it is only for African-American students. Mr. Watson does what everyone else would do in this situation, he gets tanning pills from his stoner buddy and transforms into a black student. Ta-da Mark gets the scholarship and heads to Harvard none the wiser.

At Harvard Mark finds out that being black isn't what it's cracked up to be, he thought I was going to be easy. For going to Harvard Law Mark is pretty stupid. Anyway Mark meets a very pretty student played by Cong, Sarah Walker. Like every movie she hates him and he has to prove himself to win her over. Then the writer of this classic throws in the curve ball, Sarah was he one that was suppose to get the scholarship that White Mark stole. Way to go white boy!

The comedy really takes off after this information is revealed. As always I will not give away the end. I use to watch this movie a lot in my younger days. Gordo is pretty funny in this flick especially at the end. Some pretty good acting in this one even from Mr. C. Howell. 

This movie could never be made today. The makers would be killed and never work again. Wait does C. Thomas Howell still work and better yet where the hell is Rae Dawn Chong? I think she will make it to my list of Forgotten Classics again. 

So check out this forgotten classic even though at that end Watson doesn't get into any trouble over what he did. Harvard sounds awesome and fun. Where are those tanning pills....

6/10