RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Soul Food
Soul Food

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Soul Food (1997)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
77 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:13

Fresh:10

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.4/10

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: SOUL FOOD is a warmly atmospheric ensemble drama set around the abundant table of Chicago family matriarch Mother Joe, whose extended brood orbits around the stabilizing force of her sumptuous... SOUL FOOD is a warmly atmospheric ensemble drama set around the abundant table of Chicago family matriarch Mother Joe, whose extended brood orbits around the stabilizing force of her sumptuous Sunday dinners. However, when dissent brews between competitive sisters Maxine and Teri, grandson (and narrator) Ahmad tries to reunite the family. This moving film, written and directed wonderfully by George Tillman Jr., features excellent performances from Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Irma P. Hall and the rest of the talented cast. [More]

Starring: Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Irma P. Hall

Starring: Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Irma P. Hall, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Brandon Hammond, Jeffrey Sams, Gina Ravera, Carl Wright, Mel Jackson, John M. Watson

Director: George Tillman

Director: George Tillman
Screenwriter: George Tillman
Composer: Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman
Producer: Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey E. Edmonds, Robert Teitel

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 1, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Soul Food

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 13 (sorted by date)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

An overt desire to please often leaves Tillman relying on force-feeding techniques.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
03/17/08
Paul Tatara
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Soul Food aims to be a banquet of feelings, but mostly it serves up tripe.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
03/17/08
Richard Corliss
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The steaming platters of fried catfish, macaroni and cheese, sweet corn bread, and black-eyed peas that appear early and often in writer-director George Tillman Jr.'s sentimental family drama should be listed in the credits as costars.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
03/17/08
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Soul Food serves up family melodrama-cum-comedy that's tasty and satisfying, if not particularly profound or original.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/17/08
Godfrey Cheshire
Godfrey Cheshire
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Tillman is tremendously skilled at bridging the vast shifts in tone.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
03/17/08
Lisa Alspector
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A warm, funny, touching African American family drama, the kind of bittersweet melodrama that critics tend to relegate as crowd-pleasing corn. We could use more when it's this well done.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
06/18/02
Peter Stack
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Tasty, but easily forgotten.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/22/02
Lonnae O'Neal Parker
Lonnae O'Neal Parker
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Tillman drew inspiration from his own Milwaukee family, his beloved grandmother in particular. Humor, sentiment and melodrama strike a balance as he brings to life nine major characters and a host of others as well.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
02/14/01
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's a fine line between good, solid drama and the sudsiness of a soap opera, and, although there are times when Soul Food crosses over, the movie remains predominantly on the right side.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This new menu movie has a soapy plot, appealing stars, family values, down-home atmosphere and a conviction that there's rarely a problem fried chicken can't cure. There sure are worse ways of looking at the world than that.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

George Tillman says Soul Food is based in part on his own family, and I believe him, because he seems to know the characters so well; by the film's end, so do we.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
01/01/00
Susan Stark
Susan Stark
Detroit News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An attractive cast and lingering shots of artery-busting delights that amount to pigout pornography.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Susan Wloszczyna
Susan Wloszczyna
USA Today
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 13 (sorted by date)
Text View
all

Latest News for Soul Food

March 19, 2008: Total Recall: Directors Who Paved the Way for Tyler Perry
This week, the prolific Tyler Perry reels off Meet the Browns, his latest examination of African American family life. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good time to... More...

August 10, 2007: Producers of Notorious B.I.G. Biopic Seek Unknown Star
Think you look like Christopher Wallace, A.K.A. the Notorious B.I.G.? Want to be a movie star? We've got the news you've been waiting for. According to The Hollywood Reporter,... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
77% 77% The Hangover
88% 88% Inglourious Basterds
66% 66% Public Enemies
24% 24% G-Force
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
82% 82% Paranormal Activity
57% 57% 9
44% 44% Jennifer's Body
58% 58% A Perfect Getaway

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Critics' Best & Worst

Critics' Best & Worst

RT's critic friends offer their choices

Total Recall

Total Recall

We list 10 New Year's Eve-themed films!

2010 Movie Preview

2010 Movie Preview

Find next year's top releases!

Shrek is Back!

Shrek is Back!

Celebrate Shrek's return with this trailer!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Annual Ketchup Edition
32
  • Harold Ramis Discusses Filmography, Teases Ghostbusters 3 Source: Heeb Magazine
12
  • National Film Registry Adds 2009 Selections Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • New Moon Tops Moviefone's 2009 List Source: Hollywood Reporter
29
  • Star Trek Tops 2009's Most-Pirated Movies List Source: Hollywood Reporter
19
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
111
  • New Toy Story 3 Clip, Photos Posted Source: Slashfilm
26
  • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
14
  • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
16
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar, Sherlock, and Alvin Team Up To Break Records
375
  • Critics Choose Must-Sees and Worsts of 2009
234
  • RT Editors Choose Their Favorite Films of 2009!
139
  • RT's Ten Most Popular Movies of 2009
93
  • Total Recall: New Year's Eve Movies
42
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: 9 and Paranormal Activity
31
  • Critics Consensus: The White Ribbon Is Certified Fresh
23
  • Five Favorites of the Five Favorite Films of 2009
22
  • Friday Harvest: Eclipse, Robin Hood, and more!
17
  • Weekly Ketchup: Annual Ketchup Edition
16
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
74
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
22
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
24
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
16
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
24
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Soul Food at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Nude Scenes of the Year
Best Nude Scenes of the Year External Link

Moviefone lists their top ten nude scenes from film in 2009.

Hollywood.com's Best of 2009
Hollywood.com's Best of 2009 External Link

Thomas Leupp offers us Hollywood.com's take on the best films of the year.

Best Dozen of the Decade
Best Dozen of the Decade External Link

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Top 10 Movies of 2009
Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Top 20 of the Decade
Top 20 of the Decade External Link

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo
About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Press | Careers
IGN | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | Direct2Drive | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Game Sites | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | GIGA.DE | What They Play | Battlefield Heroes
By continuing past this page, and by your continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2010, IGN Entertainment, Inc. | Support | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! RSS Feeds
IGN’s enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA.
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.