Review of Taking Woodstock (2009) by Missie B — 21 Jun 2010

Ang Lee's continuing trip through American culture stops off in the late 60's in a rural country town in upstate New York, where enterprising but stuck-in-a-rut Demetri Martin somehow wrangles a big music festival to his humble town to help his parents' struggling motel business, and from there Woodstock happens.

Good premise, but Lee doesn't have much of a handle on the counter-culture save for the usual cliches, the characters and their psychosis are muddled, and the modest budget doesn't do the crowd scenes any justice, making a concert that featured half a million people look like a composite of a few hundred grubby extras and some background CGI.

An extended acid trip is pretty well done though, and Martin, a comedian making his feature acting debut, takes the straight lead role admirably next to all the freaks, hippies, and promoters. Watch again with Lee and lifetime collaborator James Schamus' commentary track for a better appreciation of their influences and film-making decisions.