One might think that a movie that chronicles the story of the iconic rock concert, Woodstock, would be brimming with music.
Those under that impression may be disappointed by Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock. The self discovery of the movie’s protagonist, Elliot (Demetri Martin), overshadows the legendary concert he helps organize. The film proves entertaining but not cohesive.
From the outset, the movie matches the mood of its 1969 setting — fun and laid back with somber overtones. Billy, a disturbed Vietnam veteran played brilliantly by Emile Hirsch, pulls at heartstrings with outbursts and war hallucinations early in the film. Keeping with the tone of the 1960s, Elliot comes to terms with his homosexuality as he experiments with drugs and watches nudist performance pieces.
At the beginning of the movie, Elliot and his parents are about to lose the motel they own. They can’t pay their mortgage. Elliot realizes that hosting a hippie concert that was banned from a neighboring town is the perfect solution to his monetary trouble. This turning point in the movie marks the arrival of the colorful hippies into the story and a dramatic lightening of the tone.
However, the movie fails to reconcile the frothiness of the hippies with the poignant plot lines of the film. The lightheartedness contrasts too sharply with references to Nazism and Elliot’s desperate financial situation.
The supporting actors give such phenomenal and memorable performances that the audience could forget all of the problems with the movie.
Manly Liev Schreiber makes an impression playing a cross-dressing Korean war veteran. Schreiber’s every onscreen moment is filled with laughter, leaving the audience wishing that he had a larger role in the movie.
Imelda Staunton steals the screen from start to finish as Elliot’s mother. She plays the stereotypical Jewish mother to comical perfection. She even has viewers laughing at comments about incredibly controversial topics like Jewish persecution in Europe.
Eugene Levy and Jonathan Groff also give hilarious performances as other major contributors to the Woodstock concert.
The film sadly lacks much music from the Woodstock concert. Even during scenes that take place during the concert, no performer is ever shown singing. Music plays in short snippets in the background of a few scenes but the film’s score is surprisingly sparse.
Another interesting feature of the film is its use of multiple images on screen at once. This is distracting at times. It is hard to keep track of simultaneous shots, each with dialogue. This did, however, provide a frantic energy that mirrored that of those in the shots that were preparing for the concert.
The Woodstock Concert itself provides the most visually breathtaking moment of the film. Elliot spends some time with a few particularly eccentric hippies. Suddenly, the screen is filled with beautiful designs of swirling colors. Standing on top of a hill, Elliot sees the audience of a concert turn into rolling waves and the stage lights glow particularly bright.
Amid all of the laughs, Taking Woodstock provides an interesting look at life in the 1960s while providing a message about self discovery and acceptance.
The significant amount of nudity and drugs in the film make its ideal audience a more mature one. This is a perfect movie to enjoy with friends on a lazy afternoon.