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Movie Review - Walk the Line (2005)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
James Mangold |
| Starring: |
Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Robert Patrick |
| Rated: |
PG-13 (for some language, thematic material and depiction of drug dependency) |
| Length: |
136 minutes |
| Genre: |
Biography/Drama |
| Tagline: |
None. |
| Studio: |
20th Century Fox |
| Website: |
Walk the Line |
| Release: |
November 18, 2005 |
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PLOT
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A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life. What else did you expect? A story based on the cocaine
industry? Sorry, but you'll have to wait for the Kate Moss biography to get that story. *bad dum dum psh* Thank
you, thank you. Cash ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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"I'm pretty sure those weren't Johnny Cash's original recordings, so I wonder who did the vocals?"
Stephanie, a bigger Cash fan than I, posed the question after the movie. She was duly impressed when I informed her
that Phoenix did all of Cash's vocals with no dubbing.
It serves as a testament to Joaquin's dedication to the role. In addition to performing the vocals, he also
learned to play the guitar from scratch. And lest we take anything away from Ms. Witherspoon, she performed her
own vocals as well and had to learn the auto harp. Maybe this won't impress some of you as much as it does me,
but I thought it went a long way in adding a more personal touch that a biography such as this needs to
succeed.
Another thing that a biography needs to succeed is an ability to condense one man's entire life into a two hour
timeframe. How do you take the life of a country music legend and effectively tell a story of family turmoil,
military service, music success, drugs, infidelity, and redemption all within such a short amount of time? I
don't know, but I recommend you watch Walk the Line for an example of how it can be done.
I expect Joaquin to be listening for his name on Oscar night. He puts in such a believable performance that you
don't have to be a fan of Cash's music to be interested in his story. We see from the beginning that the traumatic
death of Cash's older brother will never cease haunting him. But it's Joaquin that really shows us how this
dreadful memory won't allow him peace. His father wishes it was he that the devil took, his wife never seems to
fully embrace his career or the fact that he has to live on the road so often, and the road itself contributes to
his dependence on drugs.
Indeed Cash becomes a man who can't resist temptation.
Ironically, it's one of those temptations that eventually becomes his savior - June Carter, portrayed so smoothly
by Reese Witherspoon that I won't be surprised if she too will be listening for her name on Oscar night. As
the relationship between Cash and Carter develops, the movie shifts from the chronicle of one man's life into a
genuine love story. It's not until he risks losing her love that he realizes life can be a failure despite
whatever success might come.
Consequently, Walk the Line has something to offer audiences that don't wear black dusters and kicker
boots. But those who are most interested in the musical aspect of Cash's journey will go home satisfied. I
particularly enjoyed watching the correlation between Cash's life experiences and how they influenced his
songwriting. Keep a close eye on the scene where Cash strolls the streets of Memphis and watches as a young boy
and his dad rhythmically shine shoes and then later on listen closely when Cash sings his hit Get Rhythm.
Subtlety reigns supreme, but it's clear enough to give us a glimpse of the man's process.
Younger audiences that don't warmly embrace biopics may not find themselves enthralled with Walk the Line,
but anyone who likes a good character study or a true-to-life love story should be thoroughly entertained.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- Johnny Cash chose Joaquin Phoenix to play him and June Carter chose Reese Witherspoon to portray her.
- Sony, Universal, Focus Features, Paramount, Columbia, and Warner Bros. all passed on the project.
- Reese Witherspoon was in Best Laid Plans with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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There's a small amount of profanity (including one "f" bomb), and there's drug usage. Pre-teens might find
themselves losing interest. This won't prove to be a major onslaught on your morals, but leave the tots at home.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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No real surprises here.
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THE GIST
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Walk the Line will definitely please fans of Johnny Cash, but its story of love and redemption provides
enough appeal for those not so familiar with the man in black.
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