The man who wore black

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2006)

I didn't know much about the life of Johnny Cash before I saw James Mangold's movie.
After watching the movie I was touched. The legend of Johnny Cash was a survival story of the man who had so much sorrow in his life. Joaquin Phoenix was very good choice to portray the man in black. Phoenix's performance was very strong because he himself shares a tragic loss of a brother in his past. I felt like Phoenix made a touching tribute to his older brother, the actor River Phoenix who was taken from this world too early by a drug overdose.
Another great fact was that Reese Witherspoon made an effort to prove she's more than a bimbo blond b-rate actress. The role of June Carter was her ticket to fame. The role was the perfect opportunity to win an Academy Award jury's heart. I think she swept all of us away by proving that she can act and sing, too.
The story follows Cash's story pretty much in chronological order but in biopic's that kind of storytelling is better because you don't necessarily know all the facts of some person's life.
The cinematography is a little bit dark but still beautiful. The music of Johnny Cash leads the audience and helps to tell the story as it was.
The fact that Johnny Cash was a little bit violent side (maybe mainly because of all the heavy drinking he did) Cash was portrayed as a loving and tender father although he wasn't always there when they needed him. I truly think he also loved his first wife at first but when June Carter came in to the picture that his love for her was so powerful and strong that nothing could be done.
Despite the mushy ending (be honest: you really wanted it to end like that!) the movie was enjoyable and one of the greatest biopics I have ever seen! Cash wore black but his future was still very bright. Very romantic fact is that both Carter and Cash died so little time apart. If that isn't a true love story then what is?