The Wood (1999)

It looks like writer-director Rick Famuyiwa started a popular trend with his marriage-jitters comedy about three friends who reminisce about their lives together as one prepares to leave the group when he gets married. Everyone who rushed to see The Best Man should catch this sleeper which also stars Taye Diggs (as Roland, the reluctant groom), as well as Omar Epps and Richard T. Jones, who together provide charming, cheerful performances full of warmth and humor. This buddy story is told through flashbacks to 1986, when the three met at public school. The young men gain our affection in their competition to win the most girls, which enhances the bond of loyalty we see in them as men on the eve of Roland's wedding. The casting of the boy actors is almost spooky in its perfection, especially Sean Nelson (who had already proven his acting acumen in American Buffalo) as the younger version of Epps. Although the cast is African American, there's no color bar to the themes or entertainment the movie offers, providing a salient lesson to network TV producers under attack by the NAACP for their inability to include characters of color in TV shows. Instead of stereotyping the characters by placing them in "the hood," where gang members and tragedy rule, this life-affirming comedy depicts the lives of members of "the wood," which refers to Inglewood, a middle-class suburb of L.A. that general audiences will find easy to relate to. --Lloyd Chesley Amazon.com

The Wood DVD

I was surprised to learn that I had not seen this movie prior to purchasing this DVD. It is a great movie! I am glad to have it as part of my collection. June 15, 2007

Classic

dis movie iz real fun 2 watch. it'll bring u back 2 dem dayz when u had hella friendz n actually enjoyed goin 2 school. i highly reccomend this. May 22, 2007

A GREAT MOVIE!!!!

One of my favorite films. An excellent film with a great cast. It shows you how friends will always be there for each other, and of course your first crush!!!!! February 10, 2007

Love it

This is a great movie about how friends grow together. Very funny and the guys were good looking. November 4, 2006

I loved it

this movie really took me back to the 80's in terms of the fashion and the music, and the fashion out there right now is 80's inspired and making a comeback. I loved the plot, the characters and the funny moments. Definitely recommended. July 17, 2006

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