Taking Woodstock

Written by: James Schamus (screenplay), Elliot Tiber (book)
Directed by: Ang Lee
Rated R for graphic nudity, some sexual content, drug use and language

Starring: Demitri Martin, Henry Goodman, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Groff, Emile Hirsch, Eugene Levy, Liev Schreiber

There was this little concert in 1969 that you might have heard of. Took place in a little town in New York. Few giant musicians. Couple hundred thousand hippies. Woodstock. But this movie isn’t about the music acts. It’s about the people. Particularly the people in White Lake, New York.

Elliot Tiber (Martin) is trying to make a life for himself in the Big Apple. But he’s holding himself back by constantly making sure that his parents Jake and Sonia Teichberg (Goodman and Staunton) run their “resort” the El Monaco. The Teichbergs (of course Elliot changed his name to a more gentile-y Tiber) have run into a little financial difficulty and Elliot has promised the bank that they would be caught up on their mortgage before the end of the summer.

To keep himself busy, Elliot dabbles in the arts (even has a group of players living in their barn) and is the chairman of the city’s board. And every summer the townspeople gather for his music festival, which consists of some records and a hi-fi on the lawn. He pays his dollar fee and has the permit approved to host as usual.

At the local diner Elliot finds out that a big concert was supposed to happen in a nearby town, but it was shutdown by the townspeople. He gets on the phone with a group called Woodstock Ventures and has them come out to view his property.

Michael Lang (Groff) hops off a helicopter with his long, flowing hippie hair and peace mentality, and about twenty lawyers. They find the rest of the El Monaco resort to be in the same position as the hotel itself. They pass. Immediately. But before they go, Elliot takes them down the road to his neighbor Max’s (Levy). Beautiful lush green lawn. This is where they decide Woodstock will be held.

Suddenly word gets out and everyone in White Lake hates Elliot for what is potentially about to happen to their town. They protest and try to get the permit pulled, but the show is already on the road and the hippies are on the way.

The town’s inhabitants quickly form from dairy farmers to flower children. The El Monaco is triple booked. Chocolate milk is selling like hot cakes. Even some of the townspeople have gotten in on the fun. And Elliot is driving himself crazy. Making sure his parents are safe and aren’t driving themselves crazy. Making sure that the concert is actually going to happen. And in the midst of things, trying to enjoy himself.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from the movie. The previews were semi-funny, and I absolutely love Demitri Martin’s comedy, but I’m wasn’t so sure how he would do acting…in a starring role. But he was great. He’s wonderfully awkward like a grown up Michael Cera. The parents were stereotypical Jewish parents, but that’s probably really how parents were in the 60s, and I’m sure there are plenty of parents out there like that now.
But I really really loved whoever the hell Jonathan Groff is. I swear they invented a time machine and went back to Woodstock and plucked him off the lawn and brought him back to be in this movie. Wonderful.

And Ang Lee had some absolutely great scenes. Particularly the “wave” scene that almost makes you want to trip on acid and see a crowd of thousands bouncing up and down to the music. Almost. Like a happier version of the cave rave scene in the Matrix Reloaded. The movie had a mellow tone to it. It’s funny, and a little sad at times, but very enjoyable. Word is that some of the scenes are done just like the documentary of Woodstock (I’ve only seen footage of the actual concerts). I give it a solid B.

Note: Do not ask who played Jimi or Janis or Santana or Jerry Garcia, or The Who. They weren’t to be found. And that’s a good thing.