Good Johnny Cash biopic, Reese Witherspoon is good

Rating: Null/10 (2 January 2006)

Standard plot of a guilt-ridden, self-destructive musician with a father who won't acknowledge his son, who is saved in the end by love. An uplifting story that's been told many times before. The descent into the hellish world of drug addiction. Walk the Line is "Ray" all over again.
Joaquin Phoenix is good as Johnny Cash, probably because Phoenix knows a lot about substance abuse problems (he's in alcohol rehab now.) Reese Witherspoon is good as the perky effervescent June Carter who saves Cash. The film concentrates on the years from the late 50s to the end of the 60s.
The film could have been a lot more. I liked the music. Cash comes across as a rather dull and dumb guy.