Spoiler alert! Like many of our favorite Marvel movies, watch this movie all the way through the credits to the very end.

People often complain that there are not many if any movies that depict black love or the black experience in a favorable light. The latest movie release from Ryda 4 Lyfe Filmz came through this black history month and made black history with their cinematic masterpiece, Heart-n-Soul. 

This is not your colloquial, Rotten Tomatoes or "insert name here" movie review channel. I champion of mindfulness, mental wellness, intentionality, and growth. This movie captured each of those elements, so I am here to identify just how much we need movies like this  and why you need to go to Tubi right now and watch this film. And remember, all movies on Tubi are not "Tubi movies". 

There’s a social media trend I’ve been seeing far too much lately, mostly from podcast bros and "girl boss" ladies that always starts with “as a man,” followed by a rundown of what we should or shouldn’t do. Well, we can ignore these takes that often run slowly behind facts, never quite catching up to them, and instead take notes from Hasanti played by the multi-talented KenDon Tillis.

Hasanti feels like the embodiment of what it truly should mean when people say "I'm healed". His discipline and emotional intelligence are on another level. As a man, this is what we should strive to be...you know...as a man. 

Initially, I was unsure about his approach when he was courting Na’Eemah. I felt he was a bit too laissez-faire. Not many of us would have been strong enough to resist the temptation he was faced with as they decided to "movie night and chill". Eventually, I realized that he was being, smart, intentional, and vibrating at a high frequency. Sometimes you have to gently remove the wig from her head, separating her from her shield, so you can really connect to the authentic version of her. Hasanti made it clear that his kindness wasn’t weakness. He was assertive when needed, poetic by default, and intentional in every move, reassuring, clever, and calculated with emotional intelligence.From a wellness lens, especially in the realm of men's mental health, this representation of how we should approach relationship is the blueprint.

In contrast, Hasanti’s best friend Domo embodies the status quo, the familiar archetype we hear across relationship podcasts, where “as a man” opens the conversation and resentment follows close behind. To his credit, he’s willing to learn, but he’s caught in his own web; a ’90s hip-hop man mindset shaped by popular culture. He’s a sojourner and a survivor of karma, with firsthand knowledge of tables turning and bridges burning.

Where are you in your journey through manhood? Do you align more with Hasanti or Domo? As a millennial, their dynamic feels reminiscent of Lucky and Chicago from Poetic Justice, guided by the sage counsel of Sheshan, played by Jaytee Thompson. But beyond character parallels, this speaks directly to men’s mental health: the quiet battles, the unlearning, and the emotional maturity required to grow. It’s a reminder of the much-needed counsel required to help us elevate and hold one another accountable, especially in how we process emotions, seek healing, and show up for women in relationships. Too often, men are taught to suffer in silence. Real strength looks like reflection, vulnerability, and choosing growth.

At its core, Heart-n- Soul is really a mirror. It invites us to slow down and ask ourselves some honest questions about who we are becoming as men, not just in public, but in private too. Growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through intentional choices, emotional awareness, and the willingness to evolve.

If you’re committed to becoming a better version of yourself, start here:

• Check in with your emotions — Don’t suppress them. Process them. Healing starts with awareness.

• Unlearn what no longer serves you — Old mindsets don’t deserve permanent residence in a new season.

• Seek real counsel, not soundbites — Find people who will tell you the truth with love.

• Practice accountability — Growth isn’t saying sorry; it’s moving differently afterward.

• Lead with emotional intelligence — Strength looks like patience, restraint, and self-control.

• Do the inner work for your future partner — Your healing directly impacts how you show up in love.

• Choose reflection over resentment — Peace is built, not performed.

• Stay open to growth — Becoming better is a lifelong discipline, not a destination.

Because real masculinity isn’t about control, it’s about character. And the strongest men are the ones brave enough to heal.

7 Key Takeaways for Men

1. Healing is a discipline, not a destination

Watching Hasanti reminds us that emotional maturity takes daily effort. Healing isn’t passive, it’s showing restraint, doing the inner work, and choosing growth even when your ego wants control.

Takeaway: Emotional intelligence is strength. Consistency beats charisma.

2. Unlearning is just as important as learning

Domo represents many of us, shaped by culture, pride, and old narratives about masculinity. He’s willing to learn, but he’s also caught in patterns formed long before he questioned them.

Takeaway: If we don’t challenge inherited mindsets, we repeat them. Growth starts with awareness.

3. Men need counsel, not just opinions

The presence of Sheshan, played by Jaytee Thompson, highlights something missing in a lot of men’s lives: grounded guidance. Not podcast soundbites, real wisdom from people who’ve lived, lost, healed, and rebuilt.

Takeaway: Every man (and woman) needs someone who can tell him the truth with love.

4. Men’s mental health shows up in relationships first

This film quietly shows how unprocessed pain becomes defensiveness, resentment, or emotional distance, especially with women. When men don’t deal with their internal battles, it spills into their romantic lives.

Takeaway: Doing your inner work isn’t just for you, it directly impacts how safe, present, and loving you can be in relationships.

5. Second chances require accountability

Heart-N-Soul centers forgiveness and growth, but not without responsibility. Redemption only works when we own our mistakes, change our behavior, and show up differently.

Takeaway: Growth isn’t saying sorry. It’s moving differently afterward.

6. Real masculinity includes vulnerability

The movie challenges the idea that men must suffer silently. Strength here looks like reflection, openness, and emotional presence, not domination or emotional shutdown.

Takeaway: Vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s emotional leadership.

7. Brotherhood matters

Whether you see yourself more in Hasanti or Domo, the story reminds us that men sharpen men (and women sharpen men/men sharpen women). We need spaces where we can be honest, held accountable, and encouraged to evolve.

Takeaway: Healing happens faster in community.

Click here to watch the full movie now