Reviews: Taking Woodstock & Time Traveler's Wife

High Times

The only reason for this film's existence is that Ang Lee wanted to laugh. I don't blame him. Not just because his previous films have been pretty somber melodramas like The Ice Storm, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the absolutely fantastic Brokeback Mountain (for which he won the Best Director Oscar). Lee might also have a reason to want to laugh because the reception to his last film, Lust, Caution, was less than stellar, despite winning him his second Best Picture award at the Venice film festival. It was a significant bomb for this great filmmaker, and he very much wanted to have a good time. Indeed, this is Lee's first light fare since Sense and Sensibilities and his first flat out comedy since his breakout hit Eat Drink Man Woman. This is by no means a masterpiece, but it does provide enough smiles to warrant a mild recommendation.

Up and coming comedic talent Demitri Martin has the lead role of Elliot Teichberg, the sole employee of his parents' (Henry Goodman, Imelda Staunton) mediocre, fourth-rate motel that is facing foreclosure. As a way to help the dying resort, Elliot maneuvers the paperwork to get the once cancelled Woodstock concert virtually in his backyard. The concert brings to the town an assortment of interesting characters, such as Emile Hirsch as a Vietnam vet with PTSD, Jonathan Groff as the concert's groovy manager, and Liev Schriber as a cross dressing ex-Marine who assists in the concert's security. The light and funny story is also peppered with family drama with Elliot dealing with the abandonment issues facing his parents and dealing with discovering his closeted homosexuality.

Those dramatic elements, as well executed as they are by Lee, is really the main fault of the film, and this lies with its screenwriter James Schamus. In the first two thirds of this film, Schamus does find a good enough comedic tone, and while not every joke lands, he does enough to keep the comedy at a breezy pace. But then, the film gets to the point when the concert actually begins, and since the story is not about the concert itself, the rest of the plot and characters start to become muddled as the music plays in the far distance. The third act really loses steam and drags along a bit until that final scene is reached.

However, this movie does deliver in those first two acts, and even in some parts of the third, and that is because of the cast. Martin is known to most for his "alternative" style of comedy on Comedy Central shows Important Things and brief spots on The Daily Show. Here he presents a more stripped down style, and thankfully doesn't allow Elliot to wander into territory that would pander to a Martin fanbase. He's grounded, real and not selling jokes, making his situations all that more funny, endearing and tender (though one scene after he smokes pot tries for it). Goodman and Staunton do well in their roles as well by providing most of the broad comedy as well as the best of the gentle moments. Groff is a real scene stealer here, as his character's inability to become depressed or enraged always creates a warm feeling even when you think the rest of the film isn't reaching there, and the same is said of Schriber's limited role. The only one a bit out of place is Hirsch, only because his character is so serious that it feel like it belongs in another film. Hirsch is almost too good for this role because the way he convincingly portrays this man with PTSD is so great that the basis for it as comedy seems off.

Lee's style is always one that usually hints and suggests throughout much of the film until you discover some beautifully crafted scene at the end. But that is when Lee is really dedicating himself to the project. Here, Lee is never that serious and his intentions are usually seen to have fun. He's providing a broad message about peace and love before it all gets serious, and how that needs to be remembered. The bright color pallet of this film reflects that, brought out really well by Into the Wild cinematographer Eric Gautier. Though I was a tad disappointed in Danny Elfman's score, which is for the most part forgettable, I do think Lee accomplished what was needed, even as he allowed that third act to become really drawn out, and also for filming one of the most boring drug trip scenes ever shot in a film.

To be perfectly clear, this is not a serious meditation on the events of the actual Woodstock concert. If you want that, then I'd recommend you'd watch the 1970 documentary Woodstock which Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker worked on. This is a only meant to be a light, breezy comedy, and for two thirds of it, it does it really well. The third act suffers greatly, but the cast manages to still keep it afloat. I hope Ang Lee laughed while making this film, and I'm sure he did. Though I would appreciate him wanting to get back to the melancholy. *** / ****; GRADE: B

Time Has Come Today

Some time has passed in between the writing of this review and the actual weekend of this film's release, and I have certainly noticed a thing or two. Mainly that the critical outcry for this film has been resoundingly negative, and hardly anybody is willing to give this film the time of day. I think the main reason is that this film is based off of a best selling book, and like most movies whose source material is from a book that nearly everyone has read, there is sometimes an obligation to immediately say that the book is superior and that the film is a total waste of time to even try an adaptation. Well, since I haven't read the book, you won't be hearing that argument against the film from me. What I will say that, as a film, it actually works better than some critics give credit, though I do recognize it has some major blemishes to go along.

Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams play Henry, the time traveler, and Claire, his future wife, obviously made clear by the title. Henry has been traveling back and forth through time since he was six years old and survived a car accident that killed his mother. These movements, for which he has no control over and reappears in the stark flesh, is attributed to a genetic disorder later in the film. Upon some of his encounters, he meets Claire as a little girl. She grows up and becomes his wife, but is suffering hardships because of his condition and tries her best to sustain it.

Like I said, having never read the book, I'm not going to base this on how good of an adaptation this is. What I can say is that I think director Robert Schwentke has a good sense of framing for this film and paces it at a steady tempo that knows the right moments when to beat faster. The script by Bruce Joel Rubin most of the time provides enough of an interesting premise, but suffers from some problems. One is that with all the time crossing Henrys at different points in space and time, it is a little much to try and keep track of it all and to know exactly where and when in the story we are at now. The other major problem is that the film doesn't know if it wants to treat the time travel, far gone from the realm of science fiction here, as an actual disorder that can be cured or as a metaphor for a marriage in crisis or schizophrenia or any number of other things. Both are intriguing, but there's only room for one, and the film tries to squeeze in both. I personally think the somber metaphor would have had a better consistent tone, but then any consistency would have been welcomed.

Bana and McAdams are good in their roles, especially McAdams. Having to encompass most of the emotional range, she is very effective at portraying a character that often times looks lost, but seems authentic as a woman trapped in a relationship she felt destined to despise. She really delivers the best performance of the film. Bana is good in almost anything he does, but Henry is never given a chance to completely become realized. His existence seems more to milk an interesting premise and provide an emotional backdrop for Claire and he has a hard time manifesting his own emotional passion. But when opposite McAdams, Bana does shine and his performance is enhanced next to her. Unfortunately, the rest of the supporting cast is really underdeveloped, particularly Ron Livingston as the couple's best friend.

This film has too many flaws within the storytelling tone and emotional depth of some characters that I can't fully recommend the film. But, I can say that the two leads pull you in enough so that you aren't left feeling limp at the end. Bana and McAdams greatly help pull the film up from the sagging parts, and they are also partially helped by Mychael Dana's score. I would say that if you were to see this film based on this review, I would be happy to receive both your compliments and complaints. **1/2 / ****; GRADE: B-