Three days of peace and music. There is no better way to describe Ang Lee’s “Taking Woodstock,” the ultimate summer hippie flick. It’s groovy, heartwarming and totally beautiful. Set in White Lake, N.Y., the film shows how the small town was forever changed by the invasion of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.

Based on true events, “Taking Woodstock” tells the story of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), the son of two Jewish motel owners, Jake Teichberg (Henry Goodman) and Sonia Teichberg (Imelda Staunton). Elliot seals a deal between Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) and a local dairy farmer to host the Woodstock festival in his hometown. The movie, though it is set at a critical time in music history, is not so much about the music as much as it is about bringing people together.

Elliot, a pathetically shy and unoriginal struggling artist, spends his days and salary trying to keep his parents’ motel in operation. He secretly dreams of leaving it all behind and moving to San Francisco but is obligated to stay and take care of his parents. Elliot’s friends consist of an often-stoned and -naked

theater production group living in the motel barn and a high school friend, Billy (Emile Hirsch), who returns from Vietnam and suffers horrible wartime flashbacks. Nothing even slightly exciting happens in Elliot’s life until he decides to work at bringing Woodstock to his hometown. Some of the locals are outraged at the expected 500,000 barefoot, pot-smoking hippies about to take over their town. 

Headed by the truly “far out” Lang, the Woodstock Music Festival brings half a million people in painted vans to the fields of upstate New York. Peace and anti-war signs are as common a sight as people dancing in the nude. “Woodstock” is a solid representation of the idea that it’s nothing but smiles when everyone is a friend and nobody is short on drugs.

In an attempt to recreate Woodstock accurately, Lee not only went to White Lake to observe the site, but also sent production crews to the Museum at Bethel Woods, which is home to thousands of documents, photographs and live footage of the festival. Through his research, Lee attempted to recreate the vibe with shaky cinematography, giving the film an “actual footage” look. Shaky camera techniques and muted colors added to the realistic appeal of the film.

Martin, who is known for his quirky Comedy Central show “Important Things With Demetri Martin,” plays a convincingly timid and curious Elliot. He is not afraid to step out of the sketch-comedy box. His character in “Taking Woodstock” is not only his first leading role, but also his first deeply emotional one. Martin perfectly combines his own ironic personality with the awkwardness of Elliot’s character.

Jonathan Groff makes his debut on the silver screen. Prior to taking on the role of Michael Lang, Groff appeared on TV and in Broadway productions. He has a bright future ahead of him after his truly perfect representation of Lang — the epitome of cool, hippie counterculture. Hirsch plays one of the most powerful roles, which is no surprise considering his credentials. Starring in “Into the Wild” and “Speed Racer,” Hirsch doesn’t fall short on bringing his Vietnam vet, Billy, to life. He’s no stranger to emotionally distraught characters, and he portrayed Billy’s journey brilliantly. 

The score is a delightful contrast from the past projects of composer Danny Elfman, who wrote music for “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Milk.” The sound track includes some of the biggest names of the ’60s: Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Band.

In the words of college students at the movie showing, “Taking Woodstock” was “totally rad,” “the best hippie movie ever” and “so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes.” So, loosen those shoes, grab some friends, don a peace sign and go see “Taking Woodstock.”

“Taking Woodstock” was written by James Schamus and directed by Ang Lee.