Take a WALK to a Different "Country"!

Rating: 8/10 (2 August 2016)

...........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA.....and ORLANDO, FL
In L. A., California, in the 50s and 60s, my daily habit of listening to TOP 40 Radio exposed me to just about every kind of music genre, pretty much all of the time! Interestingly, I eventually acquired a taste for just about all of them, to one degree or another! Well, pretty much everythingJazz, not so much, really, and definitely NOT at all: "Country" music. The ONLY Country album I EVER bought in my ENTIRE life (Well, at least before turning 50!) was "Johnny Cash: His Greatest Hits"!
Upon realizing that they had released a movie about his life, it immediately went to the top of my "Must See" list! What was it about his music that gave it such widespread appeal? Exactly what made Johnny Cash so special? It would be nice to be able to provide a simple, straightforward answer to both questions, but in the film, Walk the Line, it is all too clear, that in real life, when it comes to a human being, things sure can get extremely complicated! So, here we end up with a movie that mirrors the life of its lead character: very interesting, entertaining, multifaceted, but at the same time, often dark, brooding and conflicted! WALK is a film I can wholeheartedly recommend no matter how you feel about Johnny Cash and/or his music.
Quite frankly, for the role of Johnny Cash, Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR) is not someone who would have made my short list, or even my long list, for that matter! Wow, what a surprise! This actor, who was born in Puerto Rico, demonstrates tremendous versatility, both as an actor as well as a singer... (Yes, that is Joaquin Phoenix's own voice in the movie!) However, I think that, at times, Mr. Phoenix comes up just a little bit short when it comes to his ability to project his voice firmly, but his performance, in general, was so masterful, that this point is quite easily overlooked.
What really drives WALK, what gives it its soul and keeps it focused and centered is the repressed romance between Cash and the love of his life, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon - Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions) Joaquin Phoenix, despite shining in the title role, is overshadowed by Witherspoon's overwhelming screen presence in the scenes where they appear together. Previously, she had never really flagged my attention that much, perhaps other than her notable characterization of Tracey Flick in ELECTION. In most of her roles she seemed to be type cast as the syrupy sweet, but at the same time, somewhat annoying girl next door!
WALK is well worth any time and money you invest to see Reese demonstrate her considerable acting talents ... And how clearly she demonstrates just how stunning those abilities are! Surely, Walk the Line, for many reasons, invites comparison with another film about the life of another famous musician, RAY. Perhaps, there are many common elements in the life of famous musicians: A tragic childhood, years struggling in anonymity, problems with alcohol and drugs, a great deal of conflict and tension in their affectative relationships and great difficulty accepting and managing fame and money. But after all, each story is real and each contains many elements that distinguishes it from others!
8*...ENJOY!/DISFRUTELA!
Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are welcome!