Ang Lee returns to comedy for the first time since Eat Drink Man Woman in 1994 with this amiable ensemble piece set against the backdrop of rock history in the making. Music, however, is noticeably absent from the film; Lee clearly views Woodstock as a state of mind rather than a concrete event and focuses instead on a small-scale family drama within the sea of nudity and mellow vibes. Comedian Demetri Martin takes the central role of the square-peg Elliot, a nice Jewish boy who finds himself instrumental in the flagship event of the countercultural movement. The movie captures the chaotic optimism of the era, but the stoned, meandering structure lacks focus.
15 (121min)