Comedy
United States of America
Soul Man was released in 1986 and starred C. Thomas Howell as the lead character, Mark Watson. The film begins with Mark being denied a full scholarship to Harvard Law School, despite getting high scores on his LSAT. His affluent family refuses to pay for his education, leaving Mark desperate to find a way to fund his studies.
He learns about a minority scholarship available to African-American students and decides to take tanning pills to darken his skin and qualify for the scholarship. He then poses as an African-American student under the identity of Mark Watson, Jr. and is accepted into Harvard Law School.
As he begins to live life as a black man, Mark starts to experience the racism and discrimination that comes with it. He encounters racial profiling and harassment from the police, as well as discrimination in housing and job opportunities. He also starts to develop a romantic relationship with Sarah Walker (played by Rae Dawn Chong), a fellow black law student.
Throughout the film, Mark struggles with his guilt for lying about his identity and the privilege he used to get the scholarship. He also begins to see beyond his own preconceived notions about race and learns more about the experiences of African-American people in America.
Soul Man received mixed reviews upon its release but has since been criticized for its use of blackface and promotion of the idea that affirmative action and minority scholarships are unfair to white people. Regardless, the film remains a notable example of a comedy that attempts to tackle issues of race and privilege.
