I watched Walk the Line (2005) last night.
It’s yet another movie crossed off my ever growing list of “films I should’ve seen by now but haven’t”.
It stars the fantastic Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Reece Witherspoon (Legally Blonde) and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgement Day) among others.
I was aware of all the buzz surrounding this film when it came out but somehow it’s taken me till now to watch it.
It’s based on two autobiographies written by Johnny Cash and follows his life from a young boy, to adulthood and the rise to stardom that made him the legendary musician we know him as today.
I’m a musician myself and have covered “Ring of Fire” many times, but until I watched this movie I actually knew very little about Johnny Cash other than a few songs and the awe that surrounds him and his music.
Walk the Line goes right into his personal life, including family tragedy, drug abuse, his strained marriage with first wife Vivian Liberto and his relationship with singer June Carter. Its a really enjoyable and eye opening look into the life of a musical icon.
Joaquin Phoenix is brilliantly convincing as Cash and Reece Witherspoon is equally superb as the woman he’d eventually go on to marry (a role she won a much deserved Oscar for).
Obviously you couldn’t tell the story of one of America’s best loved musicians without throwing in some of the music he’s famous for and this really adds to the enjoyment of the movie. I dare anyone to watch it and keep their feet still!
All in all, I loved it. 👌
On to the next...