| Based on the two books penned by the | | | | taking; Johnny is married to Vivian and has |
| legendary man himself, "Cash: The | | | | daughters-- a reason enough for them to keep |
| Authobiography" and "Man in Black", "Walk the | | | | whatever they have for each other deflected. |
| Line" is a biopic of the famous country music | | | | But even though June becomes divorced, and |
| singer, Johnny Cash. Just recently, a movie | | | | Johnny is left by his wife, he still can't |
| of its kind was also released, depicting the | | | | make his move on her, and June is not |
| life of jazz sensation Ray Charles, played by | | | | immediately inclined to fostering a |
| Jamie Foxx for which he won an Oscar.Unlike | | | | relationship with him.Johnny's dependence on |
| Jamie Foxx who resembles Ray Charles, Joaquin | | | | amphetamines and alcohol probably did not |
| Phoenix who plays the lead role doesn't even | | | | help him have June that time. His drug |
| remotely look like Johnny Cash. But what he | | | | addiction finally results in health and |
| lacked in facial resemblance he compensated | | | | financial problems. All alone and flat broke, |
| for his impeccable imitation of the | | | | Johnny asks help from June. His conversion to |
| guitar-slinging, forlorn-looking, artist's | | | | born-again in 1970 and rehabilitation put an |
| stage appeal.The movie is titled after one of | | | | end to his pill-taking and alcohol-drinking |
| Johnny Cash's songs, which speaks about the | | | | days. Johnny tries to regain control of his |
| troubles of fighting temptations while | | | | life, slowly getting back on the music scene |
| married. The title befits the movie about | | | | and proposing to June Carter. These |
| Cash who also experienced the same | | | | significant moments in Cash's life is |
| difficulties himself.Cash's influence on | | | | continously shown up until his celebrated |
| other genres of music is not something the | | | | Falsom Prison performance in 1968.The film is |
| world easily forgets. With a huge fan base | | | | rather unsuccessful in providing an |
| around the globe, I would not be surprised | | | | understanding on how Johnny's music |
| that this film gets all the attention it | | | | developed. All the film lets us see is the |
| rightly deserves. Attention it certainly | | | | important events on Johnny's existence, thus, |
| deserves, as it is clearly one of the biopic | | | | carelessly disregarding an essential aspect |
| films ever produced.The movie launches its | | | | of the legend's life. I just feel it is |
| story beginning with a jailhouse scene where | | | | crucial to show the people how Johnny Cash |
| prisoners enthusiastically applauds for an | | | | became a country music revolutionary, how his |
| awaited musical performance. Joaquin Phoenix | | | | music provides the foundation for other |
| then appears onscreen, tracing his fingers | | | | genres of music. It is also necessitous that |
| along a mechanical saw's teeth and the next | | | | the film offered a further grasp of the |
| sequences backtracks to Cash's childhood in | | | | country's first couple's historical |
| Arkansas. In 1940, an episode happened that | | | | accomplishments, music-wise.The production |
| turned Cash's life around. His older brother, | | | | could have done better though. Although the |
| Jack, died from a sawmill accident and his | | | | costumes are excellently done, the makeup |
| heartless father (Robert Patrick) who | | | | leaves a lot to be desired. They succeeded in |
| regarded him as nothing, put the blame on | | | | transforming a nobody Cash to country music |
| him. Cash then carried an unending | | | | legend Cash in terms of costumes, but failed |
| anguish.The film then follows Johnny to his | | | | at morphing Cash and Carter (and come to |
| Army Service where he devotes his time to | | | | think of it, even the rest of the cast) into |
| writing and composing songs that sings of the | | | | their age-advanced versions (meaning, |
| hard life. After the service, he marries his | | | | older-looking). If it isn't for the year |
| first wife, Vivian (Ginnifer Goodwin) and | | | | indication at the bottom of the screen, I |
| makes his living as a door-to-door salesman. | | | | would probably think that I am watching a |
| His meager pay cannot afford him a fancy | | | | film frozen at one era.But despite the film's |
| lifestyle and his impoverished state of | | | | inadequacy, James Mangold nevertheless brings |
| living almost creates a family estrangement. | | | | a plain biography into sheer movie |
| But it all soon changes when he auditions to | | | | brilliance. He tells the life story in a way |
| producer Sam Phillips whose Sun Studios | | | | that would generate deep empathy for and |
| caters to other artists like Elvis Presley | | | | understanding of the man. He succeeds in |
| (Tyler Hilton). Auditioning with band mates | | | | showing us just what it is like to be Johnny |
| Marshall Grant (Larry Bagby), the bassist and | | | | Cash.The movie's success is to be attributed |
| Luther Perkins (Dan John Miller), the | | | | to its talented cast who did all of their |
| guitarist, Phillips initially finds their | | | | singing and acting. There's no wonder Reese |
| music sort of 'unbelievable' in a bad way. | | | | Witherspoon won the Oscar's Best Actress |
| Not until Cash strums the first chords and | | | | Award for her role in this film. Reese |
| sings the first lyrics of his own composed | | | | Witherspoon gave a magnificent performance as |
| song that Phillips finally signs them under | | | | the sassy June Carter-- her accent and good |
| his studio's label. With that success, Johnny | | | | singing voice also adds boost to her already |
| soon joins Carl Perkins (Johnny Holiday), | | | | fantastic acting. The same goes for actor |
| Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis (Waylon | | | | Joaquin Phoenix who's imitation of Johnny |
| Payne), and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon) | | | | Cash's deep bass and mimicking of Cash's |
| on tours and performs to their live audience | | | | signature stage moves is just plain |
| in the South and in Canada.This is the part | | | | entertaining as well as satisfying. Their |
| where the film starts focusing on the love | | | | chemistry onscreen is another factor for the |
| story of Cash and Carter. They initially | | | | film's success.It is not often that you get |
| become friends-- which is the strong | | | | to see a film that is almost so faultlessly |
| foundation of their relationship-- although | | | | produced that seeing "Walk The Line" is like |
| the smitten Johnny obviously craves for more. | | | | having an entire new movie experience. |
| But both of them are not available for the | | | | |