Review of Taking Woodstock (2009) by Brody M — 27 Jan 2010

Taking Woodstock feels naive and simplistic at first. In a sense, it is. There's no real historical insight into why Woodstock was as important an event in 20th century culture as it was. The social-political aspects of the festival are downplayed; the anti-war aspect is barely a footnote. Instead, Ang Lee focused on conveying the spirit and the vibe of Woodstock, which is one of freedom, liberation, unlimited possibilities. It's not a historical document, nor is it a musical film, it's a genuine feel-good movie, and it works on every level. And as much as it's a sweet little human story, it's a clear window into a time and a place. And it draws the viewer in, and keeps him in all the way through.

A sincere hats-off for the casting; except for Eugene Levy as an obligatory Jewish farmer, and Paul Dano and Emile Hirsch as obligatory hippies, none of the cast play to their strengths, and they all surprise. Imelda Staunton and Liev Schreiber are both fantastic in very untypical roles. Most surprising is comedian Demetri Martin, whose character develops and grows throughout the film, who delivers an understated, funny, human dramatic role, fantastically natural for a first dramatic feature-film role. Looking forward to see more of him in the near future.