Lee's 'Woodstock' weak, banal, band-less
"Taking Woodstock," Ang Lee's hippy trip down memory lane to the biggest block party in the Age of Aquarius, offers a clever running gag about the young man responsible for making the Woodstock event happen.
Every time that Elliot Teichberg (comedian Demetri Martin) tries to catch some onstage action with Jimi Hendrix, The Who or Joan Baez, his crazy mom distracts him, or he gets sidetracked by a sexually liberated couple in a minivan, or general mayhem breaks out and he has to deal with it.
So, Elliot misses the party.
Likewise, "Taking Woodstock" misses the boat. (Or should that be yellow submarine?)
"Taking Woodstock" is a pleasant, amusing behind-the-scenes story of how the music phenomenon came into existence. But its meager payoffs come in small doses. A couple of showcase sequences highlight the film, along with an obligatory acid trip, and a freakishly perfect supporting role by Eugene Levy as Max Yasgur, the owner of the Woodstock pasture.
The story begins with mild-mannered Elliot (based on the real Elliot Tiber) taking a summer off from his New York job to help his eccentric, aging parents operate their rundown Catskills motel, the El Monaco. His dad (Henry Goodman) is a nice guy without much ambition. His mom (Imelda Staunton) is psychotically frugal and controlling. Together, they could be in a Catskills version of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Every year Elliot takes out a city permit to put on an annual music and arts festival. He has no idea how valuable that permit is until legendary producer Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff, making a big impression with minimal screen time) needs a spot to quickly relocate a massive rock concert.
Elliot already has the festival permit. Yasgur (who could be Levy's twin if you squint) has the 600-acre location.
Suddenly, the small agrarian community becomes the epicenter of the universe for half a million people cramming into a field for the concert of their generation.
Ang Lee, coming off his controversial dramas "Brokeback Mountain" and the adults-only "Lust, Caution," pushes the story along at a leisurely pace, just brisk enough to stave off boredom, but never establishing any sense of urgency or immediacy.
He creates two extraordinary showcase sequences that make sitting through the lesser ones worthwhile. The first is when Elliot wants to go see the concert several miles away, so a flower-powered motorcycle cop offers him a lift. Off they go in a series of wondrous shots that track Elliot as he maneuvers through a long and winding road clogged with an endless array of bell-bottoms, paisley shirts and love beads.
The second is an awe-inspiring night scene where Elliot sees the concert stage in the distance, surrounded by figurative waves of people undulating in a literal sea of humanity. Very cool.
There's a real danger in never showing any of the concert action, because the entire movie defaults to a mediocre domestic drama where Elliot deals with his immigrant parents while striking up a sexual relationship with an attractive guy on a construction crew.
At best, Martin possesses an innocuous screen presence, and he's way too bland and unassertive to carry the movie on his own.
He gets a little help, but not enough, from Liev Schreiber as a cross-dressing former Marine security agent named Vilma, and his good friend Billy (Emile Hirsch), a Vietnam War vet with social-adjustment issues.
Of course, the nubile members of the Earth Light Players, Elliot's local theater troupe, constantly doffing their duds for an impromptu political skit don't hurt.
In this film, the moons don't stay in the seventh house.
"Taking Woodstock"
Rating: 2½ stars
Starring: Demetri Martin, Liev Schreiber, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy
Directed by: Ang Lee
Other: A Focus Features release. Rated R (drug use, language, nudity, sexual situations). 110 minutes