Taking Woodstock

'Taking Woodstock' (R) **1/2

Writer: James Schamus based on book by Elliot Taber
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Demitri Martin, Eugene Levy, Imelda Staunton, Liev Schrieber, Henry Goodman, Emile Hirsch

'Taking Woodstock' is a very subtle and wistful movie that takes it's time establishing a time and place. It does this very well including developing some interesting characters. I just wanted a tiny bit more oomph in it's delivery and a little more depth in the characters. I wanted to know more about them because on the surface they seem like cool people. Comedy Central comedian Demitri Martin plays the title character Elliot Taber who made the Woodstock concert take place. Martin is good but his character is a little too quiet and dull sometimes. Imelda Staunton and Henry Goodman play his parents and Goodman is fine but Staunton overacts a smidge. The best characters are played very well by Eugene Levy in a nice straight role and Liev Shreiber in a not so straight one as a cross dressing ex marine. His character is about to be the standout but then I wanted to know more about him and the writer doesn't flesh him out. This is an entertaining movie with some nice small moments but they don't add up to a whole. I do love though how simple this movies is in it's presentation and there are great wide shots of the farm and a great mudslide scene. Ang Lee is a great filmmaker but this doesn't seem like one of his best. I would probably recommend you rent the 1970 movie 'Woodstock' for a better feel.