The '60s

I caught this movie on TV last night, I don't usually enjoy this particular kind of movie, but I was bored so I figured I'd sit through it.

Now I've seen other comments on how the movie doesn't show the era correctly, that it's not historically correct, and since I wasn't alive yet during the 60s, and my European education didn't touch the subject of american history much, I can't comment on that.

However, when you get past the idea of this movie having to be a historical document of the 60s, and see that it's actually just simply a story, not a history lesson, about a group of people during this period of time, you'll see that this story is actually quite enjoyable.

I expected a mediocre history movie, I got a great movie about love, principles and family. It made my evening.

Generally, whenever I watch the networks attempt to depict American History I wind up on the front lawn randomly swearing at autos that pass my house, (until my wife turns on the sprinklers and forces me back inside.) But in spite of a few eye-rolling plot twists and cheesy lines, this is one of the very best docudramas I've EVER watched. Starting with the idealism of JFK, this movie is jam-packed full of references to a plethora of real historical events and personalities that defined the 1960s. Every single event and person is not flagged and explained. If you get it you get it, if you don't you don't. The better-read the viewer is, the more they will appreciate the numerous references. Abby Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, electric Dylan at Newport, Joan Baez, Martin Luther King, the Lorraine Motel, Wavy Gravy, the Zapruder Film, Bull Connor, Bobby Seale, Black Panther breakfast program, "Soul on Ice," "Free Huey," The Hog Farm, The Gray Line Bus tours of Haight-Ashbury, the Weathermen, The Chicago Seven, Selma, Birmingham, "brown acid," Days of Rage, CO status, Watts riot, Cafe Wha?, Phil Ochs, Kettle of Fish, and on and on and on. If you are extremely literate in the real history of the Sixties you will find a wealth of information awaiting you in this 3 and-a-half hour tour. All right, so "Do You Believe in Magic" wasn't released until AFTER the troop train protest was held in Berkley but that is a minor point to get all steamed up over. Generally this is a feast for the literate student of the 1960s.

I never actually thought anything could make me understand the police brutality that occurred during the Democratic Convention in 1968 in Chicago, but this one sure comes close. The awful human beings that rioted in the public parks, with their whining and their complaining and their drug use and violence seemed richly deserving of the things they got.

If this movie is worth anything, it's instructive as to how history can be distorted to suit a particular kind of political and cultural agenda. It is very sympathetic to those for which little sympathy is deserved. It suits those who actually make these movies to try and justify the things that they largely did during the past, even thought the rest of the country didn't.

The heroes of the movie end up being the villains, and those who grew up in luxury and refused responsibility or respect end up being the applauded. It's utterly mystifying.

The characters involved here are cardboard, with high school drama dropouts as their creators. It's undeniably hard to create a movie that can depict and entire decade and its spirit, but this one not only fails, but seems like it's not even trying. Play some sixties rock music, show a menagerie of hippies, a melange of pot smoke, and a montage of video clips from a truly tortuous time.

Take the advice of the insightful reviewer previously and read up on what happened during this time, the real events, the real issues. Bobby Kennedy wasn't a saint (he's actually the one who ordered Martin Luther King to be bugged while he entertained prostitutes), and Barry Goldwater wasn't the devil, nor the reverse--but it's hardly the way the makers of this swill would have people believe.

oh ya, I was there and can vouch for the veracity of many of the scenes in this series. My background was that of a naive shy geeky type and it took me a long time to come to terms with what happened during the 60s. A time of very rapid and huge social change. The course of the decade is mirrored in the story presented in this excellent representation. The remnants of the bobbysoxer era gave way to some pretty horrid psychedelic tunes but then Jimi Hendrix hit the air waves. His legacy will in 200 years be similar to Amadeus Mozart: they both revolutionized music, lived on the edge, died young and broke. The difference is we have Jimi's live recordings and know his resting place. The characters then undergo some defining moments, and the war in southeast Asia spills over. The end of the film was rather abrupt and bewildering, same goes for that decade. I was there when the hippie era ended in a similar fashion.

Plausibility of this story ranges from dead on to highly unlikely. But you have to remember the hippie era was partly based on a lot of media hype and voyeurism. This range of views is correctly portrayed.

Julia Stiles was uniquely outstanding in her role as the wayward daughter who struggles against the downside of a society that in some cases was determined to devour its young. I too was kicked out of the house at a young age but I deserved it having chosen to sport long hair and argue with my parents at every opportunity. Fortunately I had a job at the time and all was forgiven eventually. Gee, thats exactly what happens in this movie. Its no wonder Ms Stiles has gone on to many more film projects and I hope to see her in roles that extend her talent.

Out of all the portrayals I have seen of that period, 'The 60s' is the most accurate. I was there, I should know. I even lived in a hippie house the summer of 1970. It was a farm house converted to a non-denominational church and some teens from around Canada and one chap from Jamaica were there on an exchange program. Music, motorcycles, pot, hitch-hikers, stern faced members of the establishment, oh ya, I had some flashbacks watching this one.

You can look back but you can never go back.

As a 17 year old who gets to always hear about the 60s second-hand this movie "took" me to the 60s. I really liked that all the kids in the Herily (sp?) family encompassed many of the kids of that time. One was a Vietnam vet, one an activist against the war, and one a hippie who ends up at Haight-Ashbury and the Hog Farm. From what I have heard this movie is very accurate and even noted the date and year of an event. The black family was great and the idea that they participated in the sit-ins and Freedom marches, and then to live in Watts, LA during the Watts riots was a great idea. I thought the climax was a great mixture of events that took place in 1965. I know there were a lot of stereotypes, but how else would we learn about the 60s with out a movie that encompassed all the feelings, looks, and ideas of the time. I loved the music but was upset that only one song was on there by The Beatles. Obviously, they forgot what an impact the Beatles had on the American culture and leaving it out was a mistake. All the other music was GREAT and I love the song by Bob Dylan and Joan Osbourne. All in all this movie was great. And I hate that people say there was too much romance and love, but hey, it was the 60s. Sex and drugs was a prominent thing in that era. You can't forget it. I give it a 9.5/10, for leaving the Beatles out.