Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are superb as Johnny and June.

Rating: Null/10 (4 March 2006)

"Walk the Line" is really the Johnny and June story, told with events of their real lives as the backdrop. Although they grew up in different parts, as a young boy of about 10 little JR would listen to little June sing on the radio with the Carter Family, to the objections of JR's father who valued music and singing as zero. So you can say that for Johnny it was love at first listen. Later when he finally met her, they were both married with families, so all they could do was sing together, and they made quite a good team. But Johnny seemed to live his life to be with June, if he couldn't then nothing else seemed to matter.
I am old enough to remember Johnny Cash, and remember his popularity and seeing him on TV. I never was much of a fan of his music, or his singing style, but I respected what he did. This movie to me is a great, almost overwhelming, achievement. He may not win the Oscar, but Phoenix delivered an Oscar-caliber performance as Johnny Cash from the time he went off to Germany in the Air Force in 1952, to his getting sober and off drugs in the late 1960s. That he also did all his own singing is even more amazing. While no one can sound just like Cash's unique singing style, Phoenix captured it so well it was almost like seeing Johnny Cash again, not only the voice, but the facial and body mannerisms while singing. I own the DVD, I will watch it multiple times.
Joaquin Phoenix was John R. Cash, Reese Witherspoon was June Carter, Ginnifer Goodwin (of recent 'ED' fame) was Johnny's wife Vivian, Robert Patrick (of Terminator 1 and 2 fame) was Johnny's father Ray Cash, the fine country singer Shelby Lynne was Johnny's mother Carrie Cash, and various actors played Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings, and Roy Orbison.