A lot of things have been said about Walk the Line, which is to be expected since it was one of the most talked about movies of the year. My fellow Blogcritics were among those offering their input:
The movie was designed to destroy the man. Cash's humanly faults become the movie, and the movie exaggerates those faults. After watching Ray I had a better understanding, respect, and empathy for Ray Charles. This movie leaves me no such feelings for Johnny Cash. It fails as a biography, and it fails as a film. It belongs to the "Made for TV" movie genre, not the silver screen. Save your Cash and go elsewhere. Marty Andrade
More serious fans looking for a biography of the man's life are sure to be disappointed. The film ends with Carter accepting Cash's wedding proposal. Before the credits roll, the audience is informed that they continued in the music business for 35 years until their deaths in 2003, leaving too many threads of Cash's life left untouched, which is to be expected when skipping half the man's life. El Bicho
I enjoyed the movie and, not knowing anything about the man in black myself, I wasn't burdened by the glaring omissions mentioned in some of the other reviews. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon seemed to embrace their characters, but throughout the film we are always aware that it is Joaquin and Reese, not Johnny Cash and June Carter. This is more of an issue with Phoenix, who seems to only mimic Cash at times.
This was a good movie with great moments. Seeing Pa Carter going after Johnny's drug dealer with a shotgun was a classic moment, but I really wish they could have explored the darker side of Johnny's addiction and problems. Overall I felt the same way I did when I saw Ghostbusters for the fifteenth time. It's good, but I think I've seen enough.
Article comments
1 - Steve
I LOVE JOHNNY CAsh!! I have every cd and i want to watch walk the line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!