The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

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.

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

This was not the film that I was expecting, I guessed as much when I saw Ang Lee's name role past in the opening credits, and the notion was confirmed two hours later. I thought I was in for whimsical comedy and free spirited stoner philosophising, but the reality is somewhat different. In the end it is a more personal voyage of discovery for the central character, however once things are set in motion his involvement feels peripheral, and events happen around him, driven by others. There are some stand-out performances, Imelda Staunton is priceless as the protagonist's mother and she and the excellent Henry Goodman create a fascinating relationship that is central to the film. Demetri Martin's turn in the central role is rather low key by comparison, and that may be the problem, since everyone else seems larger than life, his performance gets lost in the 'far out' stuff going on around him. The hallucinogenic scenes are well done, and there is a brief burst of action, centred on Mr. Goodman, but largely the pacing is flat, and this does not help. Perhaps the most telling thing is that this is a 2 hour film about a music festival with almost no musical performances in it. I think that would confound most people's expectations. It certainly did mine.

vIdea: a movie about Woodstock not about the music of the Festival & but instead concentrates on one guy who held the musical festival & fair permit to allow Woodstock to happen in small town in upstate NY. In 1969 a music festival named Woodstock has its roots in the entrepreneurship of Eliot Tiber (Demetri Martin); He is a interior decorator from Greenwich Village. His parents Sonia Teichberg (Imedla Staunton) & Jake Teichberg (Henry Goodman) own a cheesy motel in the Catskills that is about to go out of business when Eliot steps in with his inspiration. He calls in the promoter of the concert Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) & introduces him to Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy) whose large pastoral farmlands could be a perfect location for the music festival. In the meantime Eliot keeps his personal life private, but yearns to join the music festival crowd to unleash his true self. In the meantime, the festival turns into a happening when several hundred thousand budding hippies show up. There are several plots here all interesting & funny. Martin is in what should be his breakout role to fame. (He is already a good comedian.) This movie does not focus at all on any of the music or performers. In fact it is almost a comedic assault on a lot of people the local town people & the people who show up for Woodstock including freaks transsexuals cross dressers Jews performance artists & actors. It is very charming & hysterically funny! The parents are both especially funny. In 1968 being out & gay was a very big deal-that does not play like that here. Film is a sweet comedy of transformation in which the changes in Elliot mirror a cultural revolution. (Did Woodstock Change the World??) Too bad they could not have included the actual Woodstock footage. I guess copyright holders would not allow it. I have liked most of Ang Lees movies-he is a truly great film makers. (Lust & Caution was a bore to me) I like this movie a lot it is a fascinating & very funny fictional account of the behind the scenes of what became Woodstock. Ang Lee is not afraid of fresh challenges!!! This film is not as great as some of his other movies but it really is a good movie. 4 Stars!!