Walk the Line- Review
August 20th 2007 06:03
Biopics are a Hollywood standard by now. There is nothing the Academy Awards likes better than patting people on the back that have portrayed real historical figures or musicians, actors, civil activists, etc. Just sit back and think upon that point for a moment. There are legions of performers who have been awarded Best Actor/Actress accolades for their realisations of existing people. Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi. F. Murray Abraham as Salieri. Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolfe. George C. Scott as General Patton. Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos. And recently, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote.
Now we can safely add Reese Witherspoon as June Carter-Cash, to that growing list. Until this film, I fully admit to never considering her as a serious actress. I mean, she’s been in some amiable enough comedies, and obviously she’s an attractive gal (c’mon, I’m not blind!), but it wasn’t til I viewed Walk the Line (the 2005 Johnny Cash biographical drama) that I realised her potential. She’s definitely here to stay. And the Oscars evidently agreed with me, bestowing America’s sweetheart with the Best Actress in a Leading Role gong last year. Joaquin Phoenix, in the lead role as the Man In Black himself, also impresses, with his multi-layered, fragile yet fiery performance. He, in retrospect, should have got an Oscar for that job. Well, it is my personal belief that he should have been awarded the Supporting Actor statuette as far back as Gladiator in 2001 (Just watch it, he’s incredible as the villainous Emperor Commodus). Phoenix is a genuine talent, and is living up to his late brother River’s legacy very nicely (R.I.P)
Some biopics offer only platitudes to the audience. They present their subjects as untainted angels, as flawless, magnificent human beings. Others go too far the other way. The protagonist is mean-spirited, unsympathetic, and foul-tempered. Not so with Walk the Line. Although it shows us that Johnny Cash was no saint, it gives us an insight into his good points too. We see the high points (his famous live performance at Folsom Prison, his successful world tours) and his devastating lows (the death of his brother, his descent into drug and alcohol addiction, his painful-to-watch endeavours to win over the woman of his dreams, June).
Essentially, this is a profound love story. A bittersweet one. But it is also a music-laden movie (albeit not quite a musical). Witherspoon and Phoenix perform all the vocal parts themselves, and their voices are certainly up to the challenge. I’m by no means of the imagination a great fan of country and western music, but I now harbour a great interest in hearing more of Cash’s repertoire.
Both of the leads are fantastic in their roles, but the supporting cast delivers the goods, too. Robert Patrick (the liquid metal T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Agent Doggett in the last two seasons of the X Files) gives us a great interpretation of J.C’s embittered father.
If you like this era in history (as I do), if you enjoy Johnny Cash’s music (even if you don’t care for it, the strength of Joaquin Phoenix’s performance might convert you), or if you’re a hopeless romantic at heart, this film shall appeal to you. I recommend it.
Available now on DVD
Now we can safely add Reese Witherspoon as June Carter-Cash, to that growing list. Until this film, I fully admit to never considering her as a serious actress. I mean, she’s been in some amiable enough comedies, and obviously she’s an attractive gal (c’mon, I’m not blind!), but it wasn’t til I viewed Walk the Line (the 2005 Johnny Cash biographical drama) that I realised her potential. She’s definitely here to stay. And the Oscars evidently agreed with me, bestowing America’s sweetheart with the Best Actress in a Leading Role gong last year. Joaquin Phoenix, in the lead role as the Man In Black himself, also impresses, with his multi-layered, fragile yet fiery performance. He, in retrospect, should have got an Oscar for that job. Well, it is my personal belief that he should have been awarded the Supporting Actor statuette as far back as Gladiator in 2001 (Just watch it, he’s incredible as the villainous Emperor Commodus). Phoenix is a genuine talent, and is living up to his late brother River’s legacy very nicely (R.I.P)
Some biopics offer only platitudes to the audience. They present their subjects as untainted angels, as flawless, magnificent human beings. Others go too far the other way. The protagonist is mean-spirited, unsympathetic, and foul-tempered. Not so with Walk the Line. Although it shows us that Johnny Cash was no saint, it gives us an insight into his good points too. We see the high points (his famous live performance at Folsom Prison, his successful world tours) and his devastating lows (the death of his brother, his descent into drug and alcohol addiction, his painful-to-watch endeavours to win over the woman of his dreams, June).
Essentially, this is a profound love story. A bittersweet one. But it is also a music-laden movie (albeit not quite a musical). Witherspoon and Phoenix perform all the vocal parts themselves, and their voices are certainly up to the challenge. I’m by no means of the imagination a great fan of country and western music, but I now harbour a great interest in hearing more of Cash’s repertoire.
Both of the leads are fantastic in their roles, but the supporting cast delivers the goods, too. Robert Patrick (the liquid metal T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Agent Doggett in the last two seasons of the X Files) gives us a great interpretation of J.C’s embittered father.
If you like this era in history (as I do), if you enjoy Johnny Cash’s music (even if you don’t care for it, the strength of Joaquin Phoenix’s performance might convert you), or if you’re a hopeless romantic at heart, this film shall appeal to you. I recommend it.
Available now on DVD
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Comment by Chic Critique
I agree with the whole Oscars / biopic thing, I bet this year La Vie En Rose gets an oscar nomination for Marion Cotillard. Mind you she was incredible....
Cheers
CC