Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash! Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash? (1 Viewer)

[Paul Case]

Phoenix and Witherspoon both did outstanding jobs. They were much better performances with more depth than Jamie Foxx's simple imitation of Ray Charles. I also loved how the two actors didn't attempt to sound exactly like the real Cash and Carter when they sang - instead they conveyed the true essence and feeling of the two artists, something that is far more nuanced and difficult to accomplish than gross mimicry. I wouldn't complain at all if these two fine actors walk away with oscar statues for their work.

 

[Shawn_KE]

Congrats to Phoenix and Witherspoon on their wins as well as the films win. I hope all three win their oscars as well.

 

[Tim Glover]

Is there not an official discussion thread or review thread? I did a search and nothing came up...

Just saw this last night. In short, EXCELLENT. And easily one of the very best films of 2005.

Phoenix & Witherspoon were completely awesome. Definitely deserving of their Golden Globe wins. I was just so surprised how terrific their singing was. That really caught me off guard how natural they sounded.

Never been a big Johnny Cash fan, but this has made me one somewhat. For sure I want the movie soundtrack.

Walk The Line avoided the all too common traps of not being too sappy or everything neatly wrapped up.

Great film.

10/10

 

[Josh.C]

Congratulations to Juaquin and Reese on the GG Wins!!!

What an awesome job by both of them. I can't wait for this one to come to DVD. But first, the soundtrack!

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Soundtrack is great, but they left out Time's a Wastin' :frowning: Still, the CD includes a couple of video tracks. Amusing that they combined footage from the Vegas concert and the Ontario concert to make it seem like a full run through of the song Jackson.

Hope they put out a great DVD.

 

[Josh.C]

I was actually upset that the they didn't finish "times a wastin" in the Movie. I know it was part of the story, but I thought it was Great!, hope they include the full song on the DVD Extras!

 

[Tim Glover]

Why did they leave that one out????

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Apparently June's ex-husband Carl Smith owns the rights to the song and probably didn't license it for use on the soundtrack. Strange that they would have ok'd it for use in the film though.

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Some preliminary discussion about a mid-March street date for the DVD.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

In my review I gave the film 4 and a half :star:'s because I thought that Phoenix didn't really sound like Johnny, but after watching it again on dvd last night, i'm revising my review and giving the film a full 5 :star:'s.

What was I thinking!? Pheonix sounds great!

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Setting aside the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon for a moment, this film is completely pedestrian all the way. It is very short on content and very long and numerous in its re-creation of Johnny Cash’s stage performances one after another. It is in this respect that the film works more as a musical than a biopic.

As a biopic, it is very short on insight, material and depth. Compared to and unlike some of Cash’s good songs and music, Walk The Line has a good beat but its lyrics are uninspired.

James Mangold's Walk The Line rates :star: :star: 1/2 (out of four).

~Edwin

 

[Tino]

I thought Walk The Line was pretty much average all the way through.

Reese and Joaquim gave great, but NOT Oscar worthy, performances.

It was OK.

:star: :star: :star: ..barely.

 

[MarkMel]

It was Ray with white people. To steal from John Stewart

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

What makes this movie work is that it isn't really a biopic in the traditional sense IMO, it does contain some of those elements, but it focuses primarily on Johnny and June's relationship, it's about them and their love for each other.

It's really a love story that just so happens to center on two legendary musicians, that's all.

When looked at in this respect the film works wonderfully IMO. Plus, the concert scenes are spectacular, i've decided to use them as demo material for my HT, I caught myself tapping my toes while watching it the other night.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

What makes this movie work is that it isn't really a biopic in the traditional sense IMO, it does contain some of those elements, but it focuses primarily on Johnny and June's relationship, it's about them and their love for each other.

It's really a love story that just so happens to center on two legendary musicians, that's all.

Couldn't have said it better myself and exactly how I put it to a friend at work today. You really got a sense for the human emotions between the two. Great love story with great performances.

Give it :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

What makes this movie work is that it isn't really a biopic in the traditional sense IMO...

You just validated what I just said above.

~Edwin

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Yes, but what makes my post different from yours, Edwin, is that I don't hold the fact that it isn't a fact-filled biopic against it, I see the elements in the film that were there aplenty and that did work.

In fact, i'm not so sure a true biopic is what Mangold was going for in the first place, the film centered on Johnny and June so deliberately that i'm led to believe that the intent was to tell their love story. Mangold is a smart director, if he wanted to make a 3hr biopic filled to the brim with facts about Johnny's life, he would have.

It features a good love story with great performances and great music, what's not to like?

There was a famous film critic, I think Gene Shalit, who didn't care for the film for the very reason that it centered on their relationship, he said, and i'm paraphrasing...

"Of everything that happened to Johnny Cash in his life, he and June's relationship is what interests me the least."

However what he fails to realize is that Johnny loved June so much that I don't think he would have been as successful if she wasn't in his life, she gave him strength and fueled his fire for the remainder of his life.

To me, this was THE thing to focus on when making a film about Johnny Cash.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

However what he fails to realize is that Johnny loved June so much that I don't think he would have been as successful if she wasn't in his life, she gave him strength and fueled his fire for the remainder of his life.

That's just it. How many other couples in the world had this happen to them? Many and I know some myself. And just because its Johnny Cash and June Carter doesn't make their relationship any more special than the other ones that I know. Their relationship was nothing out of the ordinary making the entire film pedestrian.

~Edwin

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Their relationship was nothing out of the ordinary making the entire film pedestrian.

I could not disagree more. If it weren't for June and her family caring so much for Johnny, chances are that he would have eventually killed himself from his addictions and the world would have been deprived far too early of the man in black.

She saved his life.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I'm sorry John but I have to go back to this:

How many other couples in the world had this happen to them? Many and I know some myself. And just because its Johnny Cash and June Carter doesn't make their relationship any more special than the other ones that I know.

Take the starstruck factor out and their story is just ordinary. In my everyday dealings, I see these kinds of couples every so often. They just didn't happen to be famous like June Carter and Johnny Cash.

~Edwin