Unimportant, rather dull movie, despite Witherspoon's usual excellence, and Phoenix not Cash

Rating: 6/10 (28 November 2005)

Not sure why it has become so trendy to say this is a great movie--it is not. First, Johnny Cash was a big man--that was a major part of his identity--while Phoenix is very short. The idea that "Phoenix was Johnny Cash" is absurd. Second, the movie leaves out many of the songs that people really identify with Cash, "A Boy Named Sue" just one of the numerous obvious examples. Third, the movie lacks the type of passion that makes films memorable years hence. This one, like Capote, which also features one great acting performance and little else, will be largely forgotten. Fourth, it is worth asking why we need biographies of Johhny Cash or Truman Capote, anyway. If we are going to do biographies, let's at least start with the truly historic figures. Witherspoon has great screen presence, which means she is always interesting, and she does a fine job here, but it isn't enough to make this movie worth seeing again. Not my cup of tea, and frankly, it's high ratings here are a little disconcerting. Do we embrace mediocrity so lovingly now?