Walk the Line

I guess I've waited too long, because I've been sucked in a lot by various biographies or other films from the country and early rock and roll scene. I no longer see Walk the Line as above average anymore. I'm more bothered by the fact that the filmmakers only chose the romance with his second wife June from Johnny Cash's biography. It may have been enough for Oscar-winning performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, but it said almost nothing about the breadth of the phenomenon. (2022-08-16)

I first met Johnny Cash on U2's “Zooropa” while listening to the last song he sang with his beautiful deep voice (which Joaquin Phoenix also possesses), and although his work is not my cup of tea, he certainly deserved "his" movie for the inspiration that many music personalities, not only country but also rock, credit him with. Thankfully, Walk the Line isn't a boringly descriptive story, despite spanning a several eras, the viewer doesn't really learn much about Cash's achievements and work (which may disappoint die-hard fans), but the story focuses intimately on the formation of his relationship with his future wife June Carter (a sweetly vital Reese Witherspoon) and his almost obsession with her, showing his addiction to pills and his lifelong struggle to cope with the death of his brother. Joaquin not only sings beautifully and I believed his every move with the guitar in his hand, and his tormented look with the inner demons in his eyes, which he was constantly fighting with, was Oscar-worthy. Likewise Witherspoon, with the body of a fragile little bum, but the character of a strong woman and Cash's redeeming angel. The only thing that separates this film from 5* is the absence of a really strong scene that would be indelibly etched in my memory, except perhaps for a punishingly brief moment depicting a concert in Folsom Prison that gave me goosebumps. (2006-03-16)

Narratively, it’s very similar to Ray, with an equally straightforward and essentially very simple plot, relying mainly on the strong performances. However, unlike Taylor Hackford, James Mangold has a much greater sense for portraying intimate scenes, and above all, Walk the Line is much more sincere and honest as a whole, compared to the overly politically correct Ray. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give their absolute best and their performances rank among the finest to be seen in the past year – Reese's Oscar is very well-deserved. Unfortunately, Johnny Cash's biopic has its downsides as well. These include a somewhat too simple script, a bit too many clichés and those typically polished and visually appealing scenes that, with a bit of attention, are transparent as glass. Solid and above all proper craftsmanship, and in the end, just slightly better than the purely average, somewhat tedious and slightly tiring Ray. (2006-08-13)

In the context of the film's ambitions, which largely focus on the more complex and mainly darker side of Johnny Cash's personality, there's not much to reproach. Mangold is very adept at navigating the rock 'n' roll scene and wild life of the 60s, and he handles the interweaving of the three basic plot levels – Johnny's mental decline, the fateful love between him and June, and the problematic relationship between him and his father – with understated craftsmanship. But the film sticks to this scheme so tenaciously that the true and unique story about the beginnings of a music legend ends up being a classic Hollywood romance devoid of any surprises. But that doesn't change the fact that the film itself is great, that Johnny Cash's music is timeless, and that Joaquin and Reese not only look great together but also sing absolutely amazingly well. Superb filmmaking, deservedly rewarded with the attention of the Academy. 85% (2014-07-23)

In the world of cinema, there is perhaps nothing more perfect than when life itself writes the story. I was never a huge fan of Johnny Cash, finding his work somewhat outdated for its time, but after watching this film, everything changed in an instant. Much of the credit for this surely goes to the mesmerizing Joaquin Phoenix, who seems to have blended into the character of the famous musician, so fully and truly putting himself into the role. Most likely, his fascinating performance also spurred Reese Witherspoon on, as she gave her best and became his equal partner in the role of his fateful love. I have to give a huge shout-out to both of them, as they shone not only as actors but also as singers and indelibly imprinted their hearts on Walk the Line. The soundtrack has such a laid-back vibe that I'm tempted to get it. From a filmmaking point of view, there is virtually nothing to fault with this spectacle. (90%) (2021-03-02)