Enjoyable, even if you're not a fan of Cash's music

Rating: 7/10 (23 November 2005)

"I'm pretty sure those weren't Johnny Cash's original recordings, so I wonder who did the vocals?"
Stephanie, a bigger Cash fan than I, posed the question after the movie. She was duly impressed when I informed her that Phoenix did all of Cash's vocals with no dubbing.
It serves as a testament to Joaquin's dedication to the role. In addition to performing the vocals, he also learned to play the guitar from scratch. And lest we take anything away from Ms. Witherspoon, she performed her own vocals as well and had to learn the auto harp. Maybe this won't impress some of you as much as it does me, but I thought it went a long way in adding a more personal touch that a biography such as this needs to succeed.
Another thing that a biography needs to succeed is an ability to condense one man's entire life into a two hour timeframe. How do you take the life of a country music legend and effectively tell a story of family turmoil, military service, music success, drugs, infidelity, and redemption all within such a short amount of time? I don't know, but I recommend you watch Walk the Line for an example of how it can be done.
I expect Joaquin to be listening for his name on Oscar night. He puts in such a believable performance that you don't have to be a fan of Cash's music to be interested in his story. We see from the beginning that the traumatic death of Cash's older brother will never cease haunting him. But it's Joaquin that really shows us how this dreadful memory won't allow him peace. His father wishes it was he that the devil took, his wife never seems to fully embrace his career or the fact that he has to live on the road so often, and the road itself contributes to his dependence on drugs.
Indeed Cash becomes a man who can't resist temptation.
Ironically, it's one of those temptations that eventually becomes his savior - June Carter, portrayed so smoothly by Reese Witherspoon that I won't be surprised if she too will be listening for her name on Oscar night. As the relationship between Cash and Carter develops, the movie shifts from the chronicle of one man's life into a genuine love story. It's not until he risks losing her love that he realizes life can be a failure despite whatever success might come.
Consequently, Walk the Line has something to offer audiences that don't wear black dusters and kicker boots. But those who are most interested in the musical aspect of Cash's journey will go home satisfied. I particularly enjoyed watching the correlation between Cash's life experiences and how they influenced his songwriting. Keep a close eye on the scene where Cash strolls the streets of Memphis and watches as a young boy and his dad rhythmically shine shoes and then later on listen closely when Cash sings his hit Get Rhythm. Subtlety reigns supreme, but it's clear enough to give us a glimpse of the man's process.
Younger audiences that don't warmly embrace biopics may not find themselves enthralled with Walk the Line, but anyone who likes a good character study or a true-to-life love story should be thoroughly entertained.