Like other biopics of its ilk, Fox's "Walk the Line" comes oh-so close to being fantastic, but inevitably fails to live up to the hype of both the subject and the film itself.
The movie is basically an overview of Johnny Cash's (Joaquin Phoenix) life. It hits most of the hotspots: Cash's troubled youth, his Air Force days, his asshole father, his first marriage, his drug addiction and his affair with and subsequent marriage to June Carter (Reese Witherspoon).
The movie should have been great. Check the stats: It was based on two Johnny Cash autobiographies, "The Man in Black" and "Cash: An Autobiography," so there could be no factual errors. Phoenix learned to play guitar for the part, and sang and played every note in the movie. Witherspoon also sang all her parts and learned to play the autoharp. Both actors were handpicked for the movie by the Cashes.
But despite how amazing Reese Witherspoon looks with an autoharp, the movie fails to live up to such high expectations. It's almost as if the writers tried to cram too much stuff into the script and leave nothing out. The outcome isn't the comprehensive chronicle of the late great musician, but a puzzling hopscotch course of events in the man's life, each one failing to breach the surface for deeper meaning.
For example, Cash's mother taught him to sing while picking cotton on the family farm. This major part in Cash's life is given only passing significance in the movie. Though it is talked about in small snippets throughout the film, there's no real substance to this important piece of the development of the Man in Black.
Perhaps the most puzzling of these hops is the creation of the song "Ring of Fire." Cash's hit was actually written by June Carter, who unfortunately gets little credit. In small vignettes in the middle of the film, June is seen trying to write the song, writing and rewriting the now-familiar chorus. And then, suddenly, toward the end of the movie, the song is magically done and Cash and Co. are seen performing it in Las Vegas. Shouldn't there have been something in between?
Another problem is that of famous people confusion. Johnny Cash was friends with a lot of famous people. He toured with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, hung around with Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings, and Carl and Luther Perkins played in his band. Unfortunately, sometimes these characters flitter across the screen without more than a head-nod, not letting the audience register who it's supposed to be. Granted, it's tedious or impossible to introduce every cameo by first and last name, but if it's not completely obvious who it is, why not just leave them out?
The film does drive home one point: Cash did a lot of drugs. What kind of drugs one can only surmise from the film. He simply pops pills and swigs beers, and the filmmakers leave it at that. There's one great scene where Cash, freshly amped up on pills, destroys a backstage bathroom, reminiscent of Orson Welles' bedroom destruction scene in "Citizen Kane." The guy rips a sink off the wall, for cryin' out loud.
Credit must be given where credit's due, of course, and both Phoenix and Witherspoon deserve a few pats on the back for tackling such tough roles. Phoenix in particular is excellent, hitting those low notes like a champ. And was it mentioned how great Witherspoon looks with an autoharp? Waylon Payne, who plays Jerry Lee Lewis, also deserves some credit, even though his part is little more than a glorified cameo.
Also worth mentioning are the many performance scenes in the film. Because Phoenix and Witherspoon are actually making the music, it's very realistic and fun to watch. Phoenix does a great job at recreating Cash's snarls and stage business. Performance highlights include a cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe," and "Jackson," which Phoenix and Witherspoon nail.
At over two hours, there's a lot of film to think about to take a single stance on. Overall, the movie's a draw: worth seeing, but not as amazing as it should be.
