Overpraised Acting Performance by Joaquin Phoenix

Rating: 6/10 (12 February 2009)

Joaquin Phoenix got much praise for his role as Johnny Cash in Walk The Line - a chick flick masquerading as a biopic of Johnny and June Carter Cash. His performance - one of the rare instances of a well-deserved Oscar snub - is certainly one of the most overrated in film history. In addition to looking absolutely nothing like Johnny Cash, he fails to sound or act like him as well.
His attempts to impersonate Cash's baritone singing style were noble, but Cash was one of the most gut-wrenching of singers in popular music. He conveyed his feelings and emotions through his voice both live and in the recording studio, and was a tremendous storyteller in addition to being a singer and musician. Phoenix, unfortunately, was completely unable to tap into this aspect of the man and his music. Also, as captured in the recordings "Live At Folsom Prison" and "At San Quentin", Cash was a rather mellow individual when interacting with his appreciative audience of inmates. When the landmark Folsom gig is reenacted at the film's conclusion, Cash is depicted as wild and unhinged - almost as if his motivation for performing at the prison was to start a riot. Cash most certainly was a rebellious individual, but to depict him in a manner such as this is dishonest and irresponsible on behalf of the actor portraying him and the filmmaker, to say the least.
The movie's sole redeeming quality is the fine performance by Reese Witherspoon as the love of John's life, June Carter. Unlike Phoenix, she succeeds in capturing the charm as well as capably mimicking the singing style of the late performer.
Walk The Line is a slick Hollywood production which will surely satisfy the Lifetime movie-of-the-week crowd. But true fans of Johnny Cash and his music will be disappointed as it does not give the legend and his legacy the proper respect that is deserved.