Biopics succeed or fail on their stars’ ability to carry off a convincing impersonation of the intended subject. In Walk the Line, Joaquin Phoenix manages a decent impression of black-clad country singing legend Johnny Cash, though it’s Reese Witherspoon as his sweetheart and eventual wife, June Carter, who really impresses (and who deservedly took home an Oscar for her efforts). It’s as much her story as Johnny’s.
Directed by James Mangold (of Cop Land and Girl, Interrupted), Walk the Line follows the early years of Cash’s career, from his unhappy childhood in Arkansas, to his remarkable stage performances and his problems with drug addiction.
This lengthy story unfolds in a faithful but typical Hollywood fashion, though the film overcomes most of the clichés of the formula. All the performances are strong, the songs are of course uniformly excellent and, overall, it hits just the right notes, so to speak.
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