Review of Taking Woodstock (2009) by Sean L — 31 Mar 2010
From Ang Lee, Oscar winning director of Brokeback Mountain, Sense & Sensibility and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes a feelgood comedy-drama based on a true story of one man's idea which changed a whole town forever.
It may sound a little unbelievable, but it's so enjoyable and the characters are so likeable, you'll believe it, and it captures the spirit of it's setting so brilliantly. Set in the summer of 1969 in Bethel, New York.
It has young Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin), who helps his dad Jake (Henry Goodman) and his mother Sonia (Imelda Staunton), run the run-down El Monaco Motel. They are in financial trouble, the motel may close, but when Elliot hears of the Woodstock Festival being turned down by their original location, he has a plan.
As he owns a permit to hold a small music festival, he convinces Woodstock organizer Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) to hold it in Bethel, and he convinces local farmer Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy) to lease his land for 3 Days of Music, Peace and Love.
What happens is traffic heads to upstate New York, blocking all the roads, much to the ire of the locals. This is a very good film, very entertaining, very touching and very funny. Even recreating key moments from the crowd scenes in the 1970 Woodstock film, Martin is brilliant in his part, Goodman and Staunton get some brilliant laughs as the money hungry parents, and there's some brilliant support from Emile Hirsch, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Paul Dano and Liev Schreiber as transvestite Vilma!! :D Very enjoyable and very well made.
This is Ang Lee's masterpiece!! :D.
This review of Taking Woodstock (2009) was written by Sean L on 31 Mar 2010.
Taking Woodstock has generally received mixed reviews.
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