 Perhaps it was the fervour surrounding the critical acclaim of Pirate Radio (also known as The Boat That Rocked), the previous success of Across The Universe or simply the legend of the festival; Taking Woodstock was a highly anticipated movie, which placed high hopes on the shoulders of Oscar winner Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain). While there are about half a million valid stories of the three-day festival of music, peace, love and drugs, Lee chose to tell a more peripheral account of the generation defining experience.
The story is based on Elliot Tiber's book, Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life, who, more by chance than initiative, snagged the festival at the last minute after Wallkill, N.Y., turned the concert promoters down.
It is told through the eyes of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), who's failing family motel plays a significant role in bringing musicians and hippies to their town for a majestic moment in the history of music and culture. The film encompasses the transformation of the protagonist (Elliot), a closeted and confused man, which runs deep parallels with the cultural revolution that took place. While Elliot's tale seems to be right down Lee's alley of a small story on a large scale, ala Brokeback, unfortunately he fails to deliver.
Although the character development of Elliot was solid, it was the supporting cast that seemed more intriguing. The Vietnam war vet played by Emile Hirsch (who is definitely coming of age), the cross-dressing ex-marine portrayed by Liev Schreiber or Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff), the festival producer, were far more interesting characters which deserved more depth.
 At times the film lacked rationale and any attempt made to pick up the tempo seemed to be futile. One can almost picture Lee distracted by the volume of extras and the myriad of stories he wants to tell in one film. This lends to the roaming narrative that seems to plague the film.
The storyline is sprinkled with wit, which at instances is laugh-out-loud funny, whereas it should have been garnished with humour considering the actors available to Lee and James Schamus, the scriptwriter. The cinematography by Eric Gautier seems to save the film at certain LSD inspired psychedelics moments thanks to Elliot's encounter with hippies.
The transgression that was most prevalent was the absence of music. Sure it had a little, but what happened to the poesy of Janis Joplin, the tunes of The Who, the melodies of Hendrix or the harmony of The Grateful Dead? Musicians were in profusion during an epic, ground-breaking show and the dearth of a symphonic soundtrack is the film's major sin as it intentionally frustrates the audiences' aspiration for even a single track.
Despite all the letdowns; the audience, intentionally or unintentionally by the filmmaker, sees the haphazard yet magical movement of 500,000 people towards one common goal. The film does give out a relevant message which seemed to have been lost. Although a little fantasized it is still groovy to think that for a moment in time all these peace-loving thoughts were concentrated in one physical place where half a million like-minded friends gathered to contemplate the possibility of changing the world and putting things right.
Beyond that Lee's thorough description of a golden era falls short of any cinematic or emotional impact. Therefore the film at best would remain a psychedelic haze in one's memory. And that too without the hallucinogens and intoxicants!
-- Amar Ayaz
*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME |
