Its 1969, and Elliot Tiber, a down–on–his–luck interior designer in Greenwich Village, New York, has to move back upstate to help his parents run their dilapidated Catskills motel, the El Monaco. The bank is about to foreclose; his father wants to burn the place down, but hasn‘t paid the insurance; and Elliot is still figuring how to come out to his parents.
When Elliot hears that a neighbouring town has pulled the permit on a hippie music festival, he calls the producers, thinking he could drum up some much needed business for the motel. "Taking Woodstock" is released 13th November.
Ang Lee doesn‘t do predictable. A quick glance at the Oscar–winning director‘s list of films confirms this: "Sense & Sensibility", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" are among his accomplishments. So, naturally, he has followed up 2007‘s erotic drama "Lust, Caution" with light–hearted comedy "Taking Woodstock".
Further proving that he is not one to shirk from a challenge, Lee has cast American comedian Demetri Martin in the lead role in his debut film. Martin plays Eliot Tiber in this true story of the formation of the 1969 Woodstock music festival. Eliot is an interior designer in New York City who has come home to Catskills for the summer to help his parents (Imelda Staunton and Henry Goodman) run their dilapidated motel.
After hearing that a nearby town has pulled the permit on what is being dubbed as a ‘hippie festival‘ Eliot decides to invite the festival organisers to stage it in Catskills in a bid to increase business at his parents‘ motel. As Eliot helps to organise the festival his life gains a new purpose and he embarks on a journey of self–discovery.
If there is something that links all of Ang Lee‘s films together (other than that they are usually brilliant) it is the director‘s attention to detail. "Taking Woodstock" is beautifully crafted and shot – the look of the film is an exquisite homage to a pivotal cultural moment. It is also a successful attempt at comedy after the heavier subjects Lee dealt with in "Brokeback" and "Lust, Caution". Liev Schreiber‘s cameo as a cross–dressing ex–serviceman is particularly hilarious, while Staunton and Goodman are a joy to watch.
Yet, this film is inherently flawed by the lack of punch in the main storyline focusing on Eliot. Unmemorable and unsubstantial, "Woodstock", unlike the event itself, is not likely to live long in the memory. Martin must shoulder some of the blame for this, as he appears too bland and devoid of screen presence to stake a claim on the audience‘s attentions. Still, there‘s enough in this film to make it enjoyable … just don‘t expect it to change the world.
