Choppy coming-of-age story.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 25, 2003

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

Full Review | Dec 2, 2002

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.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 14, 2001

Artificial, tension-free.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 1, 2000

A fair and admirable comedy we haven't quite seen before.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

Since positive images of middle-class black friendships and romance remain rare while gangster tales, drugs and gang gunfire dominate the screen, The Wood gets bonus points.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 1, 2000

When will Epps, who was in The Mod Squad, get a picture worthy of his obvious talent?

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 1, 2000

A savvy, good-natured comedy!

| Jan 1, 2000

Part after-school sex comedy, part wedding-blues slapstick, part cornball friends-are-family moralization, The Wood exists as a seldom represented American time capsule, and it's all good.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 1, 2000

The growing-up stuff is kind of wonderful.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Famuyiwa has kicked up fertile new storytelling territory for black filmmakers.

| Original Score: B | Jan 1, 2000

This rambling and episodic autobiographical saga of three friends coming of age in Inglewood, Calif. in the '80s is so determined to be likable that it forgets to be interesting.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

The Wood spends too much time wallowing in arrested adolescence to make you feel you've traveled anywhere.

| Jan 1, 2000

Inane coming-of-age comedy.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

The Wood paints a fair picture of growing up black, bright and, of all things, without sullen malice or uncorrectable misogyny.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

It's about time someone made a movie with black male characters who are believable and funny without being buffoonish.

| Jan 1, 2000

Awkward performances, unsure directing flaw The Wood.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000