Walk The Line - James Mangold (2005)

Biopics can be tricky, especially when it's a very popular figure. You can say Walk The Line gets away with it successfully, it leaves everyone happy, Jonny Cash fans and film fans alike.

One thing about biopics is that usually characters aren't portrayed in all their humanity. I think this script was very well constructed around Johnny Cash's weaknesses and strengths. June Carter is the perfect woman with strong charming personality who can't do anything wrong, but she's also complemented well with Vivian, the annoying first wife we all want him to leave and get away from. They work well together but aren't as strong as Johnny. The best thing about this film is how well structured around the father-son relationship it is. It's not enough to have an interesting character like Johnny Cash, you also need him to have something that's universal and common to everyone. Starting the film with a memory and then going back to it, is a common resource... but here it works very well and makes perfect sense.

Would non-country fans like the film? I don't know. The music is contagious, well chosen and keeps the narrative going, without it being a video-clip. I had no problem with country... I think it's so well done that you might not even notice what it is.

The actors' work is impressive. Just like George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon seems to not always get characters where she can show she's a good actress too. In this case she's surprisingly good because we are just not used to seeing her doing several things (although she is still the nice woman, she couldn't play anything else because we wouldn't believe it!). Their singing is just amazing, you wouldn't believe they aren't professional singers. Joaquin Phoenix is great too, doesn't over do the drama (which could be the case).

The production design is perfect, everything is well chosen and it's really another time in the film. Commercial films always have the best resources when it comes to technical aspects, but in this case it's also a film that deals with feelings (without moral judgements). All in all it's a stylish and emotional feel-good film.

Walk the Line is a film that needs to be experienced, writing about it might make it sound boring... I wanted to include a nice clip, but sadly (I assume for copyright reasons) found mostly trailers.

Walk the Line