Review: Taking Woodstock
REVIEW:
Ang Lee has become the auteur of such powerful and unique films including LUST, CAUTION and of course, he won an Academy Award for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. With his latest films, TAKING WOODSTOCK, he returns to his earlier days, when he made sweetly told charmers like THE WEDDING BANQUET and SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. There is an absolutely lighter tone to his latest tale of how one young man helped save his families property thanks to one of the most significant events in music history. As dark or tragic or just plain sad as it couldâve been, Mr. Lee has recreated the summer of 1969 and the experience of watching Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Simon and Garfunkel and everyone in between play for a crowd of half to fully naked young men and women, in celebration of peace for a divided nation. In fact, with so much turmoil at the time, politically and socially, it is surprising Mr. Lee has made one of his most charming and funniest films in years.
The story revolves around a young Jewish American named Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin). He has taken on the responsibility of helping his elderly parents, Sonia and Jake Teichberg (Imelda Staunton and Henry Goodman) keep their Catskills âresortâ up and running. It is a difficult task as the bank is ready to take it away, leaving them with nothing. But Elliot convinces the loan officer to give them the summer and let them get caught up. It seems like a futile attempt to keep this business going, that is until Elliot finds that an upcoming concert called Woodstock needs a home. After getting a permit to do his usual small music festival, he is able to bring this massive concert just up the road with the help of a neighboring dairy farmer (Eugene Levy, who gives a terrific performance). Of course, if you know anything about what happened at this massive event, it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. It was rain, it was mud, it was drugs and it was naked bodies swaying to the music of some of the greatest and most popular musicians of that particular period.
While I liked Demetriâs performance, I felt that there were so many others that stood out. Both Imelda and Henry are delightfully fun as his mom and pop who are thrilled to see their business booming. And I guarantee youâve never seen Leiv Schreiber quite like this, as a cross-dressing, ex-Marine named Vilma. Another stand out performance is Jonathan Groff as producer Michael Lang. He Lang is beyond laid back, no matter how crazy things get, he even arrives as an almost mythical figure near the end. He is charming and charismatic, and I would not be surprised to see plenty of roles coming his way after his work here. In fact, the misfit cast is very amiable, including the off-beat theatre troupe run by Dan Fogler. This mix of familiar faces in the theatre world as well as the film world make for some interesting choices. It is too bad we are not really aware of what happens to most of them when the concert is over, and the land is covered in mud and other bits of proof that Woodstock was there.
Ang Lee handles Americana exceedingly well. He uses split screen to show us the craziness of what is about to take place (used much like it was in the documentary WOODSTOCK, directed by Michael Wadleigh). Lee simply expresses the insanity and beauty of this wild time in history. While I think he couldâve spent more time with some of the supporting characters, he certainly reveled in the almost Paganistic revelry that took place forty years ago. And while he hints at a handful of serious subjects, including anti-Semitism, he never really gets too serious. I think it could have helped, and may have made it a more emotional experience, but there is plenty of music and fun that keeps the spirit of the time alive. It is also refreshing to see such a bright and loving tribute to music that still has relevance and will continue to do so for years to come. While Taking Woodstock isnât Ang Leeâs masterpiece, but it is a fun way to relive the age of peace and love. It is simply a groovy musical memory come to life.
RATING: 7/10 -- JimmyO

Source: | JoBlo.com |
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