SYNOPSICS
The Wood (1999) is a English movie. Rick Famuyiwa has directed this movie. Elayn J. Taylor,Omar Epps,Richard T. Jones,Sean Nelson are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1999. The Wood (1999) is considered one of the best Comedy,Drama,Romance movie in India and around the world.
On the wedding day of a writer's friend, things aren't looking good when the groom goes missing before the ceremony. During his and his other male friend's effort to retrieve him, that writer named Mike can't help but tell the story of his youth with his friends. Ever since he met them on his first day at a new school, they shared the common experiences of growing up and life's discoveries.
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The Wood (1999) Reviews
Light and low on plot but an enjoyable little film with charm
Three hours before his wedding and Roland is nowhere to be found. His best friends, Mike and Slim, are both stressed trying to work out where they could be when they both get pages from his ex-girlfriend. They go to her house to find him drunk and experiencing doubts. As they drive around, sober him up and dry clean their suits for the wedding, they take time to uncover why he has doubts and also take a trip down memory lane and where they grew up in Inglewood. Having seen several films on the trot where race is used to `comic' effect in a string of endless racist jokes it was refreshing to sit and watch a film where the cast were almost 100% black but the story was not told in relation to the colour of it's characters. Instead the story is a straight story of childhood memories and it could easily have been any culture telling it. Of course there is a thread of black culture running through the film but it is simply there as opposed to being the focus. The story is slight and not totally together but it is interesting. The reasons for Roland's doubts are not made totally clear by the end of the film and there is a suggestion that it is really just a frame for the memories to occur within. This isn't too bad as the memories are really more of the story than the modern day trigger is. Both strands work quite well as long as you don't expect too much, it has a gentle humour that is pleasant and enjoyable and both strands seem to be able to carry it. The `to-camera' narration was a bit of a risk that I thought it didn't totally carry off but, happily, after the first 10 minutes it is pretty much absent for the rest of the film. Some of the strands don't totally come to a close and the fact that the main plot (Roland going missing on his wedding day) is mostly a side issue is a distraction but not to a detrimental point. The cast are all pretty good. Epps is a good lead and is a likeable character. Diggs is good looking but he doesn't act as well as he can for much of the movie his `drunk' acting is pretty poor although he gets better as he sobers up. Jones is a bit of a comedy figure but does his job well despite being the least developed of the three. The teenage actors all carry themselves well, although in this modern tabloid world of hysteria it is a little uncomfortable to watch two young teenagers have sex (although I was relieved to find that the sexy one of them, Malinda Williams, was actually 24 when she played a 14 year old). The women are all very good looking but have lesser roles as the males take the meat of the story Tamala Jones is good and Epps' co-star from Love & Basketball (Sanaa Lathan) joins him for a brief role. Overall it is a very light film that has a plot in a very basic sense but is really more of a nostalgic trip down the teenage years that is told with honesty and humour. It may not resemble any life I ever had but there were themes I could relate to. Slight but fun and, after seeing National Security, Undercover Brother and Bringing Down the House (where race is used for humour, rather than being a side issue) The Wood was also a breath of fresh air.
Pleasant Surprise
The Wood has not received very much attention and PR that many of the other movies have, but it should. The movie is about three best friends who grew up in Inglewood California (hence the title - The Wood). The movie actually takes place on the wedding day of one of the friends and two hours before the ceremony, the groom is a no-show. The other two friends manage to track him down and proceed to bring him back. As they bring the groom back to the wedding, the three begin to discuss old times and throughout the movie, flashback is used to show these experiences. Younger actors are used to depict the current friends and their past experiences are shown to the audience. The acting by all the characters is superb and the flashback technique is used beautifully. The movie shows the relationships develop over the years through the eyes of one of the characters (Michael) and the humor is sprinkled throughout the movie in well placed and well timed deliveries. This is a very endearing movie that everyone should see but unfortunately, in a summer of either blockbuster or toilet humor movies, this one may get overlooked. For anyone who gets a chance, see this movie. Overall rating 9/10.
A simple film
This is the type of film that you can just sit back and enjoy. The male leads(Diggs, Epps and Jones) have chemistry as well as their young counterparts. The plot is simple and easy to follow. Roland(Diggs) is about to get married, but chickens out and goes over an old girlfriends house instead.Then Mike(Epps) and Slim(Jones) are sent over there to go get him before the wedding. While getting him sobered up, Mike reminisced on when they first met. This movie is better than movies of the same theme(The Best Man, The Brothers, etc.) because the male leads are more likable and less one dimensional, although Rolands reasons for not wanting to get married aren't explained enough. Also, the girl that plays young Alicia is way too old for the role. Bottom line, the narrative by Epps is good and it's not riddled with stereotypes. Also, the 80's soundtrack is great and this is an entertaining movie. 7/10
Funny and very realistic piece of film
I had heard from several people before watching this movie that it was not as good as Omar Epps' other work, movies like "Higher Learning" and "First Time Felon". I wouldn't say it was as good as those two movies, but it is definately worth while. A story we all can relate to, especially us men. The story is about the trials and tribulations that a young man go through in the hood, or should I say "the wood". The movie deals with how boys interact with girls at a young age, and it does so very realistically. The acting is impeccable, the characters are incredibly real and the way the story is told is very charming. The movie has humor and drama mixed together beautifully. I think this is a movie everyone should see.
Its all good in The Wood
The Wood is a funny and heartwarming coming of age film that uses its all star cast effectively instead of wasting them like movies these days tend to do. The Story: Roland(Taye Diggs) is having cold feet on his wedding day and his friends, Mike(Omar Epps) and Slim(Richard T. Jones) try to help him get over it. While they help him overcome his anxiety of getting married, Mike recalls their younger years growing up in Inglewood California. Mike recalls how he first met Slim and Roland and his childhood love Alicia(Malinda Williams). Taye Diggs, Omar Epps and Richard T. Jones are all great. The chemistry they have together makes the movie fun as it moves along. There are a lot of funny moments in this movie(when Mike gets beat up by Alicia's brother, The vomit scene,Mike dancing with a plush toy bunny and the dance scene when Mike rises to the occasion and tries to play it off) and some warm moments. What I like the most about The Wood is its brutal honesty. The people in this movie are realistically portrayed(just like most of Rick Famuyiwa's movies). Now I know most prudes are going to detest how these boys in this movie act but just remember one thing: THEY ARE KIDS! If this movie would have had these youngsters thinking about anything other than girls it wouldn't be realistic. Movies that show us human beings as imperfect will always get slammed by pseudo-intellectual bourgeoisie puppets but who cares what they think. In conclusion The Wood is an excellent coming-of-age movie that is necessary requirement for any fan of Black Cinema. Two Thumbs up.