A little over-the-top but well produced

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2006)

"Walk The Line" presents the early years of Johnny Cash, known as J.R. to his friends and family, who struggles with several demons as he transitions from childhood to early adulthood and becomes one of the best-known country music stars in history. In turn, those struggles and hardships become the inspiration behind his many memorable tunes. Joaquin Phoenix, previously known for his work in "Gladiator," seems to step into the role of the Man In Black and capture those struggles in convincing fashion, while Reese Witherspoon does a fine job playing June Carter, a woman who is not without her own struggles; while I'm not convinced that her performance justified an Academy Award, she plays the part well. Given that both leads needed to learn to (a) sing and (b) play their respective instruments in convincing fashion, you start to believe that they are emulating the spirits of the legendary husband-and-wife team. As I suggest, sometimes the drama goes over-the-top and the action seemed to drag some halfway through the film, but I was pleasantly surprised by the story. If nothing else, the music is enough to make it worth a watch.