Basic plot: A biopic about Johnny Cash’s rise to fame.
This has been on my Netflix queue ever since I first got Netflix, but it was one of the titles that kept getting pushed back. Apparently it’s my friend Lauren’s top something-or-other movies, so this was her pick for our latest movie trade-off (She gets to watch Rounders).
Walk the Line is a very good movie. Typically I’m not a fan of country music so I wasn’t particularly excited about this, but as it turns out, most of Cash’s music doesn’t even have an accent behind it, so I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I may download the soundtrack at some point just to see if it’ll grow on me.
The acting is very good, with Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, and Ginnifer Goodwin all carrying their roles well. The cinematography looks really nice most of the time, and the dialogue keeps things interesting enough for a musical biopic.
Storywise, Cash had a pretty extraordinary life between the music, the drugs, and his love life. The love triangle sort of bothers me considering Johnny was always married from the time he first met June, but considering this is all based on his real life and the characters actually had a logical attraction to each other, it didn’t get to me quite as bad as the cheating in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
I don’t know how often I’d rewatch it, but it’s definitely a good movie. A little slow at times, but good. It’s very possible that if I ever get around to grabbing the soundtrack this might rise in the ranks for me, but after a single viewing, I’ll just say I liked it and leave it at that.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Ah. I absolutely more than LOVE this movie and I am rather happy you liked it!
(:
April 14th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Love this flick. For those of us who actually LISTENED to Johnny Cash before this film came out, this was truly a godsend. Granted, they fudged quite a bit of the dates but it makes for an enjoyable flick.
Oh, and the soundtrack is really good. Even for the non-Country fan.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I’m so glad you liked this. I’ve loved Johnny since I was a kid, and I thought the movie was beautifully done.
I cried when June’s mom told her she was already down there in the scene where he’s losing it…. omg… just love it.
But then I also equally loved Walk Hard. hehehehehehe
Watch Death at a Funeral.