Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- date night
- friends night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film charming and its characters believable, while noting an occasionally uncertain transition between present and past.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mike's attempt to retrieve the missing groom on the wedding day frames his recollection of meeting and growing up with his friends.
The film depicts African American friends navigating school, romance, adulthood, and wedding expectations within a middle-class social world.
Mike, Slim, and Roland share formative discoveries and reunite to support Roland during his pre-wedding crisis.
The groom's disappearance and apparent cold feet drive the present-day retrieval plot and its relationship stakes.
Films like The Wood, and why
The Best Man
coming-of-age nostalgia, male friendship, and romantic comedy-drama centered on African American characters
Love Jones
warm ensemble storytelling, relationship tensions, and wedding-centered romantic comedy
Diner
nostalgic friendship, youthful self-discovery, and reflective flashback structure
Crooklyn
African American coming-of-age experience, friendship, romance, and bittersweet nostalgia
Movie Details
- Director
- Rick Famuyiwa
- Release Date
- 1999-07-16
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (118)
Cast
- Omar Epps
- Richard T. Jones
- Taye Diggs
- Sanaa Lathan
- LisaRaye McCoy
- De'Aundre Bonds
- Antwon Tanner
- Tamala Jones
- Jascha Washington
- Patricia Belcher
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Wood about?
- A wedding-day rescue mission unlocks a tender, funny history of three African American friends whose youthful bond is tested by adulthood and romantic commitment.
- What is The Wood like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wood as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Wood violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Wood.
- What did critics think of The Wood?
- Critics generally found the film charming and its characters believable, while noting an occasionally uncertain transition between present and past.
- Which films are like The Wood?
- Films with a similar feel include The Best Man, Love Jones, Diner, and Crooklyn.
- How long is The Wood?
- The Wood runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Wood?
- In United States, The Wood streams on Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel.
