“Walk the Line” a Runaway Success
Grade A-
The fist time I heard of Johnny Cash was during the 1995 film “Apollo 13,” when a NASA employee swears that when he travels to space, he’s taking his entire Johnny Cash collection. The adults in the audience laughed, but I didn’t get the joke. After viewing “Walk the Line,” I think I do. Cash, labeled the man in black, was a stubborn character whose rocky, abrupt life was matched by his music. I think those adults in the audience laughed because Johnny Cash didn’t easily fit – in a genre, in his relationships or in society. And while so many sad events occurred in Cash’s life, he excelled because he stayed true to his talents, liberating those struggling like him.
“Walk the Line” tells Cash’s story in the biopic tradition. The story begins with Johnny growing up on a cotton farm, where family tragedies occur, scarring him for life. After time in the Air Force, Johnny gets married and makes his way onto a record label, which catapults his music career into national fame. Cash’s life then feels a lot like a juggling act, as he struggles with marriage, drugs and his career.
Joaquin Phoenix (“Gladiator” and “The Village”) is undeniably remarkable as the adult Johnny Cash. Reportedly Cash’s personal pick as the actor to play himself, Phoenix nails this tough performance. His crooked drawl, stoic showmanship and singing voice are all unique and a joy to watch. That’s right – his singing voice. In contrast to last year’s biopic hit “Ray,” “Line” ups the ante as Phoenix and Witherspoon sing all of the songs. His full, low voice is a tribute to Cash, and I found myself debating whether to buy the soundtrack or a real Johnny Cash CD.
Reese Witherspoon (“Just Like Heaven”) also rises to the challenge of playing Cash’s heartthrob, June Carter. Witherspoon again plays a spunky, sassy, southern belle, but shows range (previously void in her work) with a serious side. Phoenix and Witherspoon are now serious contenders for acting Oscars.
But Witherspoon’s spunk is a light in the darkness, as this is a story about a man and the inner demons worn on his black sleeve. Director James Mangold (“Kate & Leopold”) paints a dark picture, telling of a near anti-hero whose emotional outlet was beautifully inspirational to the downtrodden and lost. If country music really is the white man’s blues, then Cash was a founding father. Yet despite Cash’s troubled life, it seemed to end happily, as he became a practicing Christian, exemplified by his famous Folsom Prison concert for its inmates.
All in all, this is one of those films that fosters self-examination. “Line” is about a man who struggled with irresponsibility, but found his talent and ran with it. His talent was storytelling via music. What’s your talent? Will finding and using it make the world a better place? This film prods at these worthwhile questions and taps your feet in the meantime.