When it comes to summer fun, what could be more entertaining than a trip down music lover’s lane, a psychedelic plot line, and a behind-the-scenes look at America’s most (in)famous concert festival? On paper, it sounds groovy, baby. Unfortunately, that doesn’t translate as beautifully to the big screen. In Taking Woodstock, Ang Lee disappoints with a nostalgic film that centers around family friction and a young gay man’s search for self-identity and independence.

In this coming of-age dramedy New York City interior designer Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin) passes up a new life in San Francisco to move back home to the Catskills and help his family revive their rundown motel, El Monaco. Elliot begs the bank not to take the property and looks for efficient (i.e. cheap) ways to improve the sleepy roadside inn. When he is not pressing his mom to wash the rooms’ dirty sheets, he also works as the president of his town’s chamber of commerce. Elliot mainly approves permits, including one for a summer music festival. One day he reads in the local paper that a neighboring town turned down Woodstock Ventures’ requests to hold a concert. Taking fate’s hand, he calls up the company to invite them to come on down to El Monaco.

A chauffeured entourage of hippies and suits descends upon the family’s motel to inspect the premises. But after muddily discovering that the area is mostly swampland, the enterprise decides to use a neighbor’s cow farm for the concert and the motel as their headquarters. They hand Elliot’s family a crumpled brown paper bag of cash and the road to Woodstock is paved.  But it’s not without obstacles. The conservative locals object to hosting a free-loving, acid-dropping hippie fest. Mobsters threaten Elliot’s family. Health code inspectors find violations galore. In the end, the festival commences and hundreds of thousands of insolent youngsters invade the backwater town. Along the way Elliot finds himself, his sexuality and the courage to leave his family behind.

Although the film’s premise had promise, the storyline felt disjointed and inadequate. Martin’s character was endearing, yet sadly underdeveloped.  The film ran under two hours and yet it felt as long as the drive to Woodstock. And speaking of the concert, Elliot never makes it to the musical mecca.  He dances in an unnecessarily drawn-out drug-induced coma at the top of the hill, watching the ant-like performers from way far out.  Instead of “Taking Woodstock,” the film would have been more aptly titled “Missing Woodstock.”

Beer Pairing: Get inspired by the “herbal remedies” featured in the film with a Victory Prima Pils. This pale lager has a complex herbal taste and dry texture. And if that doesn’t convince you, know that you’ll be in the company of champions with this award-winning beverage. It won a silver medal at both European BeerStar Competition and the Great American Beer Festival.

Victory Prima Pils

Malts:  2 row German pilsner malt
Hops: German and Czech whole flowers
Alcohol by volume: 5.3%