Soul Food, the richly emotional ongoing tale of three
African American sisters and the men in their lives, has no obvious hook as far
as the setting or the characters' jobs; it's just well-written, well-acted, and
willing to let its characters be difficult, troubled, and pushy, as well as
sexy, passionate, and caring--in other words, vividly real. Teri (Nicole Ari
Parker), a divorced lawyer and demanding control freak, begins a relationship
with Damon (Boris Kodjoe), a much younger delivery guy who's deliberately
avoided the kind of high-pressure career path that Teri values. Maxine (Vanessa
Williams) has three kids by Kenny (Rockmond Dunbar), including 12-year-old Ahmad
(Aaron Meeks), who narrates portions of the show, and whose growing independence
often leads to clashes with his strong-minded mother. Bird (Malinda Williams), a
beautician, struggles to find trust with her ex-con husband Lem (Darrin Dewitt
Henson), whose drive to support his family leads him down some dangerous paths. |