“Go see what the center of the universe looks like,” one character says to another in Ang Lee’s “Taking Woodstock.” And the film is just that, a look into the center of American culture in 1969. But “Taking Woodstock” does not solely focus on the festival itself, as Michael Wadleigh’s documentary “Woodstock” does. Instead, more attention is given to the lead-up to the festival and the true story of the family who brought it to Bethel, N.Y.

“Taking Woodstock” has many pieces that are loosely held together by the main character, Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin). Elliot, a semi-closeted gay artist, has struck out in the big city in terms of both a career and love. He has now returned to the Catskills to help his parents run a financially failing motel, the El Monaco. Seeing a possible way to save the motel, he, as president of Bethel’s Chamber of Commerce, offers the town as the setting for Woodstock after a neighboring town gives it a disapproving boot.

Demetri Martin’s natural comedic skills enable his character to avoid becoming bogged down in all the serious issues he’s dealing with, e.g., coming out to his parents and deciding what to do with his life. This balance, however, acts as a negation and renders his performance unremarkable.
Elliot’s parents, Sonia (Imelda Staunton) and Jake (Henry Goodman), immigrants from Russia, are also going through a rough patch. The failing motel is hindering not only their livelihoods, but also their spirits. The younger generation that Woodstock brings is thus beneficial in more ways than one. The festival also betters Billy (Emile Hirsch), a childhood friend of Elliot and a disaffected soldier back from Vietnam.

A noteworthy Liev Schreiber plays Vilma, a wise cross-dressing Marine. Vilma acts both as mentor to the Teichberg family and security for the motel turned Woodstock base. The Earthlight Players who are staying in the El Monaco’s barn also deserve mention. This outlandishly strange but amusing theater group is just another piece to tie into this already crowded film.

The film’s tempo is almost as varied as its colorful characters. “Taking Woodstock” starts off almost purposefully boring. It picks up with a literal giant “X” marks the spot made of bed sheets. Here land helicopters and a mass of producers, including Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff), Woodstock’s main promoter. Lang, one of the most charming hippies and hippest negotiator I’ve ever seen, then gets in contact with Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy) the farmer, whose land becomes the site of the festival.

After the helicopters touch down, the viewer gets pulled into the whirlwind of organizing what becomes a concert of over half a million in the short time of three weeks; you see everything from the unsanitary rooming to the backup highways and extensive rain. This whirlwind is heightened by use of multiple split screens and old-fashioned-esque footage. But apart from this fun buildup, the film is punctuated by quiet moments that make sure the film never gathers any speed.

The climax of the film occurs at the festival, which is briefly shown from afar in a neat shot as a shimmering spectacle, heavily lit and surrounded by an unending, oscillating sea of people. Elliot never gets closer because he decides to randomly join VW Guy, or Paul Dano, for an acid trip in an unnecessarily long drug sequence.

“Taking Woodstock” saunters from start to finish and never culminates into anything substantial. All its pieces, from its mass of characters to its theme, are left open ended. But this pleasant film’s dedication to the depiction of Woodstock’s creation gives the viewer a genuine feeling of being a part of this unique process, and one cannot help but be drawn into its alluring topic, Woodstock.

3/5 stars

Directed by Ang Lee

“Taking Woodstock” is a pleasant dedication to the creation of Woodstock but never culminates into anything substantial. (Courtesy of NBC Universal)