light on story but the music is excellent

Rating: 8/10 (5 February 2006)

This film follows in the footsteps of other biopics such as 'Ray' in presenting the story of country music's Man in Black, the late, great Johnny Cash, and his on-off friendship/relationship with the wayward daughter of the Carter family, June.
As Cash, Joaquin Phoenix is perfect, with facial expressions and vocal technique on target throughout. His performances of iconic songs such as Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, and Jackson, are exciting and perceptive. Reece Witherspoon is much less irritating than usual as the jokey June Carter, and her vocals are excellent as well.
The story starts with Cash preparing for his gig at Folsom Prison, where he recorded his best-selling live LP, and takes the form of a flashback to his early life with dad, mum and elder brother in the 1940s. We get some sense of where his roots were and where he wanted to go.
With first wife and baby settled in Memphis, Cash heads off to Sun Records where he secures a record deal with the legendary Sam Phillips alongside Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis (both depicted in this film; Tyler Hilton is an OK Elvis, while Waylon Payne is excellent as Jerry Lee). From then on we watch his ascent into stardom and his descent into the grip of drug addiction; all the time shadowed by his faithful friend and singing partner June.
The plot wears a little thin but is more than fleshed out by the fabulous musical numbers (filmed with real energy and mostly provided in full), and the central performance of Phoenix.
Other notable performances in the cast include Ginnifer Goodwin as Cash's frustrated first wife, Vivian; Shooter Jennings playing his father, Waylon; and Robert Patrick as Ray, the father who can never forgive his younger son for growing up.