Country and Western music is not my scene. Nevertheless, I watched "Walk The Line" on DVD last night, a biopic of Johnny Cash and June Carter which it's claimed is based on Cash's autobiographies. Joaquin Phoenix and Reece Witherspoon play Cash and Carter, giving first rate performances. They both sound very similar to the original artists and whilst they do mime to some tracks, it's difficult to tell. But it's not just the singing that impresses; these are two quality actors at the top of their form.
The story isn't a mere homage to Cash and Carter. The script is certainly taut enough to keep a non-C&W music lover watching as Cash moved away from his oppressive parents and broke into showbiz, only to find himself struggling to cope with the pressures of life on tour. Most of the music featured in the film was the boppier stuff he played alongside the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. It would have been interesting if the film had focussed more deeply on his social campaign songs such as Ira Hayes, and sought to explain why he identified so strongly with the underclasses of American society. Sadly, it just nodded towards this with an acknowledgment of Folsom Prison.
Overall, I rate this movie very highly. It's not without fault but its shortcomings are such that you don't notice them while the story zips along and you are engaged by the stunning performances of Phoenix and Witherspoon.
