The Wood
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''The Wood'' is a 1999 American
coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can ...
comedy drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple co ...
film directed by
Rick Famuyiwa Rick Famuyiwa (born June 18, 1973) is an American director, producer and screenwriter of productions including ''The Wood'' (1999), ''Brown Sugar'' (2002), '' Talk to Me'' (2007), '' Dope'' (2015), and ''Confirmation'' (2016). His films have bee ...
and starring
Omar Epps Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. Epps's film r ...
,
Richard T. Jones Richard Timothy Jones (born January 16, 1972) is an American actor. He has worked extensively in both film and television productions since the early 1990s. His television roles include '' Ally McBeal'' (1997), '' Judging Amy'' (1998–2005), '' ...
and
Taye Diggs Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals '' Rent'' and '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series '' Private Practice'' (2007-2013), ''Murder in th ...
. It was written by Famuyiwa and
Todd Boyd Todd Boyd, aka "Notorious Ph.D.", is the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race & Popular Culture and Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Boyd is a media commentator, author, produce ...
.


Plot

Roland is getting married and is currently missing. Slim, who scoffs at the idea of marriage, is furious at Roland for disappearing. The story flashes back to Mike as a youth when he first encounters Roland and Slim, his first real crush on a girl named Alicia, and the three young men's misadventures as teenagers growing up in 1980s
Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...
(aka "the Wood"). Shy and awkward, Mike is quickly befriended by Slim and Roland. On a dare from Slim and Roland, Mike reluctantly grabs Alicia's butt, leading to a physical altercation with her older brother and
Blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...
gang member, Stacey. While he is beaten up, Mike earns Stacey's private respect for having courage to fight back. Meanwhile, in present day, Mike and Slim get a call from Tanya, Roland's ex, saying that Roland is at her house, extremely drunk. When they arrive, they argue with Roland for putting his relationship at risk, as the wedding is just hours away. Flashing back to the 1980s, the boys are on their way to the first dance of the year, stopping at a convenience store that gets robbed by Stacey. Stacey recognizes the boys and offers them a ride to the dance. The group is nearly arrested after being pulled over for a broken tail light. Mike's quick thinking prevents one of the cops from finding Stacey's gun. They let them go when the cops respond to a call about the stick-up Stacey pulled earlier from him and his friend. Impressed, Stacey begins a new friendship with Mike by apologizing for their prior run-in. However, he explains that he was protecting his sister and seeing how much Mike likes her, gives him advice on how to win her over. When they arrive at the dance, it is almost over, and Mike is able to secure a dance with Alicia and also get her number. Later, Mike and Alicia date for a time before breaking up and remaining friends. In the present day, while reminiscing, Roland becomes sick and accidentally vomits on Slim and Mike. Now, the men only have an hour left before the wedding and they have to get cleaned up, so they take their clothes to the cleaners. Mike, returning to their memories when they were juniors in high school, remembers them thinking about sex, ways to get it and making a lot of bets as to who has it first. Mike has a girlfriend and Alicia has a boyfriend. Despite both of them already being in a relationship with somebody else, one day Mike and Alicia walk to her house from the library talking about the homecoming dance. They listen to "
If This World Were Mine "If This World Were Mine" is a 1967 song by soul music duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from their album '' United''. Written solely by Gaye, it was one of the few songs they recorded without Ashford & Simpson writing or producing. When it was r ...
" on the radio, the song to which they had the first dance. Alicia and Mike begin getting intimate, but Alicia stops him and tells Mike to retrieve a condom from Stacey's room. Mike finds a condom in Stacey's room. Before leaving, he has to hide under his bed, so as not to get caught when Stacey and his girlfriend come home. After they leave, Mike goes back to Alicia's room and they finally make love. Mike wins the bet, but he doesn't tell Roland and Slim out of respect for Alicia. It is revealed in the present that after high school, Alicia and Mike went their separate ways with Alicia going to attend
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in New York while Mike decided to stay home and attend
The University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...
even though Roland reveals that Mike could have followed her as he did get accepted into
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...
. The boys finally make it to the wedding and Roland apologizes to a furious Lisa for leaving her worried. Before the ceremony begins, Mike has a fond exchange with a now-grown Alicia while Roland and Lisa get married. Mike reminisces on the homecoming dance, declaring that he, Roland and Slim will be the boys from "the Wood".


Cast

*
Omar Epps Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. Epps's film r ...
as Mike Tarver, who narrates how he and his friends grew up together in "The Wood". **
Sean Nelson Sean Nelson (born June 12, 1973) is an American musician and journalist. He was the lead singer of the alternative rock group Harvey Danger and is the arts editor for '' The Stranger'' newspaper in Seattle, Washington. Music career Nelson i ...
as young Mike, a newcomer from
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
who just moved to Inglewood at a new school. He became friends with Roland and Slim. *
Richard T. Jones Richard Timothy Jones (born January 16, 1972) is an American actor. He has worked extensively in both film and television productions since the early 1990s. His television roles include '' Ally McBeal'' (1997), '' Judging Amy'' (1998–2005), '' ...
as Laveinio "Slim" Hightower, he and Mike help Roland get back to the ceremony to get married. **Duane Finley as young Slim, raised up in "The Wood", best friends with Roland growing up and then meeting Mike. He was always asking for Roland to hook him up. *
Taye Diggs Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals '' Rent'' and '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series '' Private Practice'' (2007-2013), ''Murder in th ...
as Roland Blackmon, the groom who has second thoughts about getting married and is found drunk by his two best friends. **
Trent Cameron Trent Joseph Cameron (born May 16, 1979, in Los Angeles County, California) is an American actor best known for his roles as John Lee Malvo in '' D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear'', as Jerel Goodrich in the UPN sitcom ''The Parkers'' and as Young ...
as young Roland, a self-proclaimed ladies man who gets no play most of the time. *
Sanaa Lathan Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Her career began after she appeared in the shows ''In the House'', '' Family Matters'', ''NYPD Blue ...
as Alicia, an old childhood friend that grew up and came back to see Mike. **
Malinda Williams Melinda is a feminine given name. Etymology The modern name ''Melinda'' is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meanin ...
as young Alicia *
LisaRaye McCoy LisaRaye McCoy (born September 23, 1967), known as LisaRaye, is an American actress, fashion designer, model, businesswoman and former first lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands. McCoy is best known for portraying Diana "Diamond" Armstrong in t ...
as Lisa, a bride getting ready to marry Roland, and gets upset about his disappearance. *
De'Aundre Bonds De'Aundre Bonds is an American actor. Career Bonds has mostly appeared as a guest actor on television shows; however, he was also featured in the Spike Lee film ''Get on the Bus'', in ''Tales from the Hood'' and in the Rick Famuyiwa film ''The Wo ...
as Stacey, Alicia's big brother that takes up for her when she is younger. He also a "
Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includ ...
" gang member. Stacey reappears in the film '' Dope''. *
Antwon Tanner Antwon Tanner (born April 14, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for his recurring role as Michael on the UPN sitcom ''Moesha'' (1996–97), and its spinoff ''The Parkers'' (2001) and as Antwon "Skills" Taylor on the drama series, '' On ...
as "Boo", Stacey's friend and member of the "
Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includ ...
". *
Tamala Jones Tamala Reneé Jones (born November 12, 1974) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films such as ''Booty Call'', '' The Wood'', '' Kingdom Come'', '' The Brothers'', and ''What Men Want''. Her prominent television roles include ...
as Tanya, Roland's ex-girlfriend *
Jascha Washington Jascha Akili Washington (born June 21, 1989) is an American actor and songwriter. Best known for ''Big Momma's House'' (2000), ''Big Momma's House 2'' (2006), and '' Like Mike 2'' (2006). Life and career Washington was born in Kings County, Cali ...
as Mike's younger brother


Reception

The film holds a 61% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 reviews, with the critical consensus: "A charming piece of work with believable characters." Reviewing for the ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' in July 1999,
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
called it "a sweet, lighthearted comedy" and applauded Famuyiwa for capturing members of the cinematically marginalized
African-American middle class The African-American middle class consists of African-Americans who have middle-class status within the American class structure. It is a societal level within the African-American community that primarily began to develop in the early 1960s, ...
. "The movie feels a little uncertain, as if it's moving from present to past under the demands of a screenplay rather than because it really feels that way", Ebert wrote in conclusion. "But the growing-up stuff is kind of wonderful."


Awards and nominations

2000 Black Reel Awards * Best Actor (Theatrical)—Sean Nelson (nominated) * Best Actress (Theatrical)—Malinda Williams (nominated) * Best Director (Theatrical)—Rick Famuyiwa (nominated) * Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)—Rick Famuyiwa, Todd Boyd (nominated) 2000 NAACP Image Awards * Outstanding Motion Picture (nominated) 2001 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards * Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures—
Joe Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
, Jolyon Skinner: '' I Wanna Know'' (winner)


Soundtrack

A soundtrack was released on July 13, 1999, by
Jive Records Jive Records was an American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary to the Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chicago. Jive was best known for its successes with hip hop, R&B, an ...
featuring rap and R&B music. The soundtrack found great success, peaking at number 16 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and 2 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
. The album was certified gold by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on August 25, 1999.


Television series

In August 2021,
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
gave a pilot order to a television series adaptation of the film. The project will produced by
Paramount Television Studios Paramount Television Studios (formerly known as Paramount Television from 2013 to 2020) is an American television production and distribution company, that is a division of Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It is the succe ...
. Justin Hillian will write and Famuyiwa will direct the pilot.


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, The 1990s coming-of-age comedy-drama films 1999 films African-American comedy-drama films American coming-of-age comedy-drama films 1990s English-language films Films about weddings in the United States Films about virginity Films directed by Rick Famuyiwa Films set in California Films shot in California MTV Films films Paramount Pictures films Films set in the 1980s Films set in the 1990s 1999 directorial debut films 1990s American films