The Wood

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2:25

The Wood

R

Released Jul 16, 1999

1h 47m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

61%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Three old friends -- Mike (Omar Epps), Roland (Taye Diggs) and Slim (Richard T. Jones) -- recount memories of their shared childhood in Inglewood, Calif., as they prepare for Roland's wedding to his fiancée, Lisa (LisaRaye). When the groom goes missing without a word, Mike and Slim struggle to find their nervous friend and return him to his impatient bride before the wedding begins. Along the way, they continue to swap stories about lessons learned during their awkward teenage years.

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Critics Consensus

A charming piece of work with believable characters.

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Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Choppy coming-of-age story.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 25, 2003

Full Review

Leslie Felperin

Sight & Sound

Never delves much deeper into the three friends' psychology than a sitcom pilot would, though the cast try their best.

Dec 2, 2002

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

An across-the-board delight featuring a spot-on ensemble cast that treats the most awkward and embarrassing moments in the rites of passage with affectionate hilarity.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 14, 2001

Full Review

Donnie Kwak

The Ringer

This is a comfort-food movie, predictable but satisfying. Also, by jumping between the late '80s and the late '90s, the film offers a treasure trove of old-school music.

Mar 25, 2019

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Film Threat

Rated: 1.5/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Apollo Guide

Rated: 61/100

Mar 16, 2004

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Gerard M

A little slow in parts but there are some funny and poignant moments

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

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Steve D

Sweet and well acted.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

this movie is a must see. a childhood favorite

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A coming of age tale of three lifelong childhood friends and the trial and tribulations of growing up black in Inglewood, Los Angeles California. Mike, Slim & Roland have been best of friends since Junior high and now all grown up it's the night before Roland's wedding and he has a case of cold feet. As Mike & Slim attempt to sober Roland up and get his wits about him back before making a mistake. Through flashbacks the three look back on the key moments of their lives and what moments helped them grow from boys to the men we see before us now. Touching on all the common experiences most of us all went through one way or another growing up and how those discoveries helped build you in the person you've grown to be. Heartfelt moments and hilarious situations are to be held by all, big reason why this film will always have a place in my heart as it resonates with me so well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

russell h

actually not bad for a late '90's drama/comedy. They went back and forth from past to present effectively so it didn't get annoying.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Great coming of age story. Great production and acting. We need more movies like this, especially for Black audiences.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

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Rick Famuyiwa

Director

Omar Epps

Mike

Taye Diggs

Roland

Richard T. Jones

Slim

Sean Nelson

Young Mike

Trent Cameron

Young Roland

The Wood: Official Clip - Hold-Up

2:04

The Wood: Official Clip - A Toast to The Wood

2:03

The Wood: Official Clip - The Wedding Is On

2:11

The Wood: Official Clip - This is My Fight

2:05

The Wood: Official Clip - I Love Lisa ?

2:04

The Wood: Official Clip - The Things Men Do for Sex

1:45

The Wood: Official Clip - Dancing with Alicia

2:13

The Wood: Official Clip - Learning to Dance

2:03

The Wood: Official Clip - The Bet

2:00

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The Wood: Trailer 1

2:25

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Synopsis

Three old friends -- Mike (Omar Epps), Roland (Taye Diggs) and Slim (Richard T. Jones) -- recount memories of their shared childhood in Inglewood, Calif., as they prepare for Roland's wedding to his fiancée, Lisa (LisaRaye). When the groom goes missing without a word, Mike and Slim struggle to find their nervous friend and return him to his impatient bride before the wedding begins. Along the way, they continue to swap stories about lessons learned during their awkward teenage years.

Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Producer: Ron Yerxa, Albert Berger, David Gale
Screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa, Todd Boyd
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: MTV Films, Bona Fide Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 16, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.0M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround

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