Walk the Line 2005

A

It is hard to avoid comparing this movie to last year’s Ray. While that movie was more a straightforward biography of Ray Charles, this movie tells a better story by pretty much framing the entire movie around the relationship between Johnny Cash and June Carter. We still see Cash’s early life, trouble at home, drug problems, and musical success, but the centerpiece is the relationship between the two stars and that is what makes this a better story and a better movie.

Another great decision is giving the music a central role. I don’t know that we see many (any) songs all the way through, but you do get a minute or more of a number of songs, not just in the background but performed live. For a lot of Johnny Cash and other country songs that’s really enough anyway. The songs are actually sung by the actors which was a great decision since even great actors have a hard time being believable with someone else’s voice.

This is also a well-made movie. Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix do a great job. Phoenix certainly has no trouble playing the dark side of the Man in Black, but he also nails the joy of Cash playing live and falling for June Carter who he has admired since he was a child. Witherspoon, playing a woman who has grown up on stage, captures the ability of a performer to instantly light up as soon as she hits the stage. The sass and humor that made June Carter a crowd favorite are presented perfectly by the beaming, bubbling Witherspoon. But she can also play the fragile road-weary twice-divorced celebrity dealing with detractors and boozed up co-workers.

James Mangold’s directing is also very good. A scene showing a Cash/Carter duet from behind drifts from allowing the stage lights to show their faces and then silhouette them. It’s a great effect. There are a lot of tight shots of faces that work and are complemented by the expressiveness of the actors. It’s a total package that is very satisfying despite a plot that could have been tired. I’ll give this movie an A.

Owned on: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital