Excellent biopic with good music to boot

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2005)

Following a recent boom in musician inspired bio films, Walk the Line examines the early and often tumultuous years in the life of Johnny Cash. Joaquin Phoenix is virtually guaranteed another Oscar nod for his portrayal of the Man in Black, at turns withdrawn and viciously out of control. Reese Witherspoon gives a likewise performance as the love of Cash's life, June Carter. Both stars provide the in-film vocals for their real life counterparts with remarkable results. Where Walk the Line is most successful is its accomplishment in making Cash's evolution enjoyable while not neglecting the music he made along the way. Other real life musicians of the era make "cameos", but there's never any doubt that this is the Man in Black's film. Walk the Line is a definite Oscar worthy contender that will be hard to overlook in several categories come ballot time. If you like just one song from his legendary catalog, you'll love this film.