SnoopyStyle It's 1969. Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin) struggles to keep the family motel in the Catskills open. His father Jake (Henry Goodman) is quiet and mother Sonia (Imelda Staunton) is bombastic. They barely have enough to keep the motel open for the summer. When a music festival in a neighboring town gets canceled due to the mayor, Elliot has the idea to expand their tiny music festival. Farmer Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy) is trying squeeze the promoter. Michael Lang is the hip concert organizer. Local Dan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) leads the locals opposing the hippie invasion. Dan's brother Billy (Emile Hirsch) is a recently returned Vietnam vet. Vetty von Vilma (Liev Schreiber) is a transvestite who does security.Director Ang Lee is not digging deep enough. He also keeps the movie very small in comparison to the vast cultural event. Demetri Martin doesn't have the star power to lead so many characters in such a big story. There is no tension to speak of. There is a lot of fun little touches but none of it really grabs me. I also expect more music from a movie about Woodstock. This has its moments but it's a bit too light-weight.

Rainey Dawn The movie is so-so, kinda interesting and kinda boring at the same time. mediocre film. A little bit funny at times and not enough music.Our story focuses on Elliot Teichberg who accidentally kicks off the one of the most memorable times in history: The Woodstock Festival of 1969. The problem with the film is our lead character Elliot. He's rather boring and uninteresting. He's just there, blazay and not much of a personality and the film focuses on him and not so much the festival itself - I think this is the big disappointment with the film.Woodstock was about the music and the message of peace and love. I think most fans of Woodstock are grateful to Max Yasgur for the use of his dairy farm for that wonderful event - but the film shows us a rather boring Elliot for the most part and misses the whole point.The movie is not completely awful - but it's not that good. It's in the middle ground.5/10

itamarscomix Taking Woodstock feels naive and simplistic at first. In a sense, it is. There's no real historical insight into why Woodstock was as important an event in 20th century culture as it was. The social-political aspects of the festival are downplayed; the anti-war aspect is barely a footnote. Instead, Ang Lee focused on conveying the spirit and the vibe of Woodstock, which is one of freedom, liberation, unlimited possibilities. It's not a historical document, nor is it a musical film, it's a genuine feel-good movie, and it works on every level. And as much as it's a sweet little human story, it's a clear window into a time and a place. And it draws the viewer in, and keeps him in all the way through.A sincere hats-off for the casting; except for Eugene Levy as an obligatory Jewish farmer, and Paul Dano and Emile Hirsch as obligatory hippies, none of the cast play to their strengths, and they all surprise. Imelda Staunton and Liev Schreiber are both fantastic in very untypical roles. Most surprising is comedian Demetri Martin, whose character develops and grows throughout the film, who delivers an understated, funny, human dramatic role, fantastically natural for a first dramatic feature-film role. Looking forward to see more of him in the near future.

Nighthawk1 I expected more from Ang Lee. The movie depicts the spirit and atmosphere of Woodstock and the corresponding time period. The problem is that the movie is too quirky and not dramatic enough. The acting is alright but the script is sub-par. Additionally it feels unpolished and rough around the edges and not dramatic enough. Maybe it was the way the director wanted the movie to come across. The movie didn't fully come together and left me feeling unsatisfied at its conclusion. Ang Lee has direct many great movies in the past; this isn't one of them. Its not his worst though. Hulk is his worst. The movie isn't great it isn't terrible either.