Walk the Line stands tall as a great biopic with excellent chemistry, acting and music

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2006)

I'm going to admit, I never really did ever listen to any Johnny Cash. Hell, Ring of Fire and The Man Comes Around are the only two songs of his I've ever even heard. Then again, I had never really listened to any Ray Charles, yet that didn't stop me from loving Ray in 2004. Especially with all of the awards buzz, this was one that I really wanted to see. So, does Walk the Line really walk the line or does it burn, burn, burn? Walk the Line, as we all know, is the life story of Johnny Cash, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. It starts with his child life on a farm, where his father Ray (Patrick) has become dismissive of Johnny since the death of his brother. When Johnny becomes eighteen, he signs up for the army during WWII. Upon his return, he marries his highschool sweetheart Vivian (Goodwin) and gets a failing job as a door-to-door salesman. His real passion though is his band, which he started with two neighbours. They manage to secure themselves an audition, and after using songs Cash wrote in the army, the get a record deal and Cash becomes a star almost overnight.
That's how it begins, with Cash as a genuinely good person. Of course, as we've seen before in celebrity biopics, that goodness soon fades as he picks up a pill-popping habit and begins cheating on his wife with fans. He is almost never home to see his wife and children, which leads to the slow destruction of the relationship between Vivian and Johnny. It all seems like fairly standard stuff, which it is, but still is effective.
While on tour, Cash also falls for singer June Carter (Witherspoon), whom he has admired since he was a child. This relationship ends up being the keystone of the whole movie, with everything else moving out of the way to concentrate on this aspect. The two of them obviously care for each other, though it is Cash's self-destructive nature that keeps them from truly acting on their impulses.
The chemistry between Phoenix and Witherspoon is quite remarkable. Even from the first scene they share, you can tell that they are destined to spend their life together. Where they truly explode together is on stage, where the bond between them seems even stronger in their duets.
Speaking of the stage, it should definitely be noted that all of the actors do their own singing. The songs in the movie are performed exceptionally well by all involved. Sure, they often sound nothing like the original singer, but this makes the movie feel much more real, with performances rather than what could arguably be called an imitation in Ray.
The acting is what truly makes the movie. Phoenix is absolutely exceptional as Cash, making a very well known character his own as opposed to Foxx's approach in Ray, which was to get the character to the very last detail. Witherspoon possibly one-ups Phoenix as the incredibly radiant June Carter, displaying both the on- and off-stage persona with ease. She could have easily turned June into a cliché, but instead she seems like an incredibly real person. While the jury is still out on whether it was deserving the Oscar win for Best Actress, it was great nonetheless. Also, a special mention to Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Patrick (the T-1000 himself), who were both very impressive as well.
So, who would win in a fight, Johnny Cash or Ray Charles? To be honest, Ray is the better overall film in my opinion. Walk the Line still does stand tall as a great biopic with excellent chemistry, acting and music. The fact that everyone did their own singing is a definite plus. Walk the Line is definitely a great movie to see if you haven't already.
Overall Rating  83%