Review of Taking Woodstock (2009) by Amanda G — 24 Apr 2010

Decent coming of age movie about the guy who helped bring the legendary Woodstock festival to a dying town in upstate New York. The film isn't so much about Woodstock itself, but the wheels set in motion of how it all began, anchored by standup comic Demetri Martin (in a straight role, pun intended as his character is gay) as a young man who tries to save his parents motel from foreclosure.

Ang Lee employs inventive film techniques to try and get the whole atmosphere of Woodstock, but don't expect the movie to focus on Woodstock as much as you may want, as it really focuses on the personal struggles of one man trying to stay with a dysfunctional family while saving their business.

Good character turns come from the likes of Eugene Levy, Emile Hirsch and Liev Schreiber among others.