Taking Woodstock

In the tradition of bands of that era, this film might be named the Vanilla Cacophony – it’s bland and disorganized. I wouldn’t have seen it except that it was shot in the neighborhood, and thus fun to spot local scenes and watch for the name of my daughter’s boyfriend as the credits rolled. There’s some appeal to the casting and scene setting, but the film is under-written by James Schamus and uncertainly directed by Ang Lee. Though they are longtime successful partners, this story was too close for one and too distant from the other. So the point of the project is elusive, never more so than when it emulates the well-known Wadleigh (and Scorsese) documentary. Coming at the event from a tangent, the film slights the music onstage and highlights a variety of peripheral characters, too many and too varied for any character development. Demetri Martin is a cipher as the central character, the tentatively-gay son of Russian Jewish parents who own a run-down Catskills motel. He has the all-important permit for a music festival, and sets the madness in motion. Eugene Levy is good as Max Yasgur, on whose farm the festival landed, and several other actors make an impression, but in the absence of an overall impression, it’s all loose ends. (2009, dvd.) *5* (MC-53.)