The Wood

By RICHARD CORLISS

Ah, the '80s! To today's teen audience, those days are deader than the Dark Ages. But the high school worries about pride and friendship and whether one should pack Tic Tac or gum on a date are timeless. On a wedding day three pals (Richard T. Jones, Omar Epps and Taye Diggs) flash back to their youth in Inglewood, Calif., courting the girls and stoutly refusing a joint from the local gangster ("What are you all, Muslims or something?"). The movie is aiming more for American Graffiti than American Pie; it dares to hint that a man should strive for humanity, not strutting manhood. And the attractive cast works hard to make the condom gags seem fresh. But this is tired stuff. No one is likely to look back on the '90s, smile dewily and say, "Ah, yes, The Wood!"

--By Richard Corliss