If you hope that “Walk The Line” will delve into the pathology of the talented, complex country singer who dressed in black as a form of empathy for society’s outsiders, you may want to just enjoy the lyrics of Cash’s song, Man In Black and wait for Hollywood’s next attempt.
This is not that film.
“Walk The Line” is the engaging love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Johnny’s admiration for June is sparked as a boy,enjoying the voice of 10-year-old June Carter as she belts out a song over the radio. The film focuses on Cash’s rise from poverty to prominence and his reckless pursuit of June Carter in the midst of a failing marriage and a fierce, losing battle with substance addiction.
The strong performances and the chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix (Johnny) and Reese Witherspoon (June) saved this film. Phoenix embodied the entity of Cash-from his intense stares, to his simmering passion and gravelly voice. Witherspoon gave a strong performance as June Carter as the sassy-crowd pleasing performer, the determined rejector of Cash’s advances and finally,Cash’s compassionate lover.
Although many of the questions I have about Cash were not answered in this film, it is worth watching. Since scales are fun and useful.. if I were to rate it as a biopic, it would receive 2/5 hearts. But as a love story, it deserves 4/5.
