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Context Film / TheWood

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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/510orolybwl_5.jpg]]
2%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
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4A 1999 coming-of-age drama directed by Rick Famuwiya, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Todd Boyd.
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6Mike (Creator/OmarEpps) tells the story of how he grew up in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Inglewood, California]] (nicknamed "The Wood") in TheEighties, with best friends Roland (Creator/TayeDiggs), who is getting married (and is currently missing) and Slim (Richard T. Jones), who scoffs at the idea of marriage, but is furious at Roland for disappearing. The story reminisces back to Mike's first encounters with Roland and Slim, his first real crush on a girl named Alicia (Malinda Williams), and the three young men's misadventures as teenagers.
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8!!Tropes:
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10* TheBet: How Mike meets Alicia. On his first day after moving from North Carolina, Roland and Slim bet him a dollar to slap Alicia's butt. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, the reason why they didn't do it is because Alicia's brother Stacey is a Blood and will beat them up.]]
11* BigBrotherInstinct: Stacey to Alicia. Anyone looking to hurt her in any way would do well to remember that Stacey is a member of the Bloods.
12* ClusterFBomb
13* ComingOfAgeStory
14* DiegeticSwitch: Played with. Each flashback starts with a clip of the actual record of the song playing.
15* TheEighties: The flashbacks take place from 1986 to 1989.
16* EightiesHair: Mike and Roland have high-top fades, and Slim and Stacey have a Jheri curl.
17* EverybodyHasLotsOfSex: What drives the boys to try and lose their virginity.
18* FemaleGaze: The scene where the guys wash off in Tanya's backyard after Roland throws up in Slim's car. There was no reason to show that outside of letting the audience see three fit, black men with their asses on full display.
19* {{Gangbangers}}: Stacey.
20* HighSchoolDance: And middle school dance as well.
21* HollywoodCalifornia: Notably averted. One of the few movies to take place in Inglewood, California.
22* HormoneAddledTeenager: Mike, Roland and Slim. Alicia knows this, which is why she gets so mad when Mike slaps her butt.
23** Though she doesn't quite mind so much when Mike later reaches for her butt during their dance at the prom.
24* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Stacey says that he could be a rapper, but nobody would ever buy an [[Music/SnoopDogg album about pot.]]
25* {{Irony}}: The robbery that Stacey committed is what got them off the hook when the police pull them over.
26* IWasQuiteAFashionVictim: Mike laughs when he sees a photograph of himself, Slim and Roland when they were teenagers, posing for the camera.
27-->'''Mike''': It's hard to believe we dressed like ''this'' and thought it was cool.
28* NWordPrivileges: To be expected in a story about three African-American teenagers in '80s-era Inglewood, California.
29* NothingButHits: The soundtrack includes 80s rap songs.
30* NoticingTheFourthWall: Mike talks to the audience to narrate at the start of the movie. Slim shows up griping about Roland being missing, Mike nods towards the camera. Slim briefly talks to the audience. He's then annoyed with Mike for talking to the audience.
31* PetTheDog: Stacey, previously established as very protective of his sister, gives Mike advice on how to woo Alicia during the school prom.
32* ThePlace
33* PoliceBrutality: A mild version. The policeman makes them get out the car and gives them a pat down all because of a broken tail light.
34* SharedUniverse: With {{Film/Dope}}. Stacey eventually becomes a security guard.
35* ShesAllGrownUp: [[spoiler:Alicia in the present day, played by Sanaa Lathan in a cameo role]].
36* SoProudOfYou: Stacy when he sees Mike get Alicia's number.
37* TheirFirstTime: Mike and Alicia. It leads to...
38** SpeedSex: ...Mike not being able to keep going longer than a minute or so. Alicia takes it in stride, and accepts the idea of them being a couple.
39* TwoLinesNoWaiting: The storyline with them trying to get Roland to go to his wedding and meanwhile reminiscing about their childhood.
40* VomitIndiscretionShot: Roland vomits all over everybody's suits in the car.
41* WouldHurtAChild: Stacey has no qualms about beating up a teenage Mike, albeit to [[BigBrotherInstinct defend his sister's honor]] as opposed to simply doing so out of malice.

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