Cashing in on Walk the Line

The man in black, Mr. Johnny Cash remains a powerful legend with shoes that would be tough for anyone to fill. Somehow, Joaquin Phoenix manages to capture the essence of Cash in the new biopic Walk the Line.

Sure to be a contender as one of the best films of 2005, Walk the Line has a great cast in what appears to be an honest account of Cash’s early days on the country circuit. Touring with greats like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and future wife, June Carter, Cash rose quickly to fame and then crashed hard, in a scene typical of the music industry. This film explores the life of one of the innovative musicians in country music that has ever lived.

Sorry guys, but no big name director at work here. Directed by James Mangold, this film is truly a triumph for him. Seen Kate and Leopold or Identity? Yeah, those were Mangold’s doing, and to his credit Girl Interrupted was his only real commercial hit to date.  In my eyes, Walk the Line is his best work yet, and hopefully is a precursor for better work to come. 

In a way, this was also a labor of love for the families of the celebrities depicted in the film. Produced by Carter and Cash’s son, this movie was based on an autobiography written by Cash. There is even a cameo of Shooter Jennings portraying his father, legend Waylon Jennings.

It would be very difficult for anyone in Hollywood other than Phoenix to give as powerful a portrayal of Cash. Phoenix clearly did his homework and got Cash’s persona down to a science, from his guttural twang to his body language and expressions. He even learned to play the guitar just for this role. Reese Witherspoon who portrays June Carter is also truly dynamic, albeit a cuter version of the spunky songstress.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is the fact that Witherspoon and Phoenix were actually singing in every scene of the film. Quite personally, I was impressed that they could both not only carry a tune, but truly emulated the styles of Carter and Cash.