Movie Review

Walk the Line

Walk the Line is another biopic (about Johnny Cash) campaigning for a Best Actor nomination. Actors who take on these kinds of roles have tremendous research to do; the process of engulfing oneself, mentally and physically, into another individual is inarguably intensive and long-term. And when we see a talent succeed, and transform in every detail, the disappearing act is unbelievable (see Jamie Foxx in Ray). Recently, Philip Seymour Hoffman pulled it off with Copote (B), and David Strathairn did it in Good Night and Good Luck (B). I?m not amongst Johnny Cash?s generation (so I don?t know what he was like when we was alive), but Joaquin Phoenix (who plays the icon) did not exactly blow me away. And neither did this movie. Walk the Line is a classic example of a made-for-TV bio-picture: Its demographic aim is very broad, and for anyone who knows the genre well, it is classic formula material. We?ve seen this kind of story told so many times before that it?s just infuriatingly boring.

Johnny Cash was known as the Man in Black and was a country singer. The film opens up in a jail where Johnny is expected to perform for inmates; we see him in the back, nervously anticipating his performance as he observes something that has nostalgic value. We are then sent back to his childhood when he and his family lived on a farm, and his dad strongly disliked the country music on the radio that Johnny would listen to, and discouraged him from aspiring. Johnny?s brother is soon injured and killed by a saw, and since no one was around to save him, his father places the blame on Johnny; and he has since lived with this in his head all his life.

Now grown up and currently an amateur, Johnny aspires to become a legendary singer, but the local recording studio tells him that his material is not marketable (which ironically sums up the film's mainstream prospects). He now has a wife and two kids, and a record label deal would work wonders for them, financially. Predictably enough, Johnny eventually scores it, and on the road he meets a pretty and charming young singer named June Carter (Reese Witherspoon), whom he listened to on the radio as a child. What starts out as a simple friendship grows into a relationship that soon interferes with his family life. His wife suspects that June is trying to take him away from her, and she immediately loathes June. Johnny is then faced with the tough question of what life he should pursue: That of his family, or with June.

Not surprisingly, the film runs at a lengthy 2 hours and 15 minutes, which wouldn?t be a big deal if it were somewhat epic in its agenda, but the story is too simple, and it hits all the expected bio-picture notes (marriage problems, run-in with drugs and depression, etc.), and never surprises us. The film can test the patience of those who are very knowledgeable of this genre, and especially if you?re looking for a riskier, bolder (and original) telling. This is more so geared for undemanding folks looking for a breezy, safe story; its emotional agenda is very much one of manipulation.

The film is a little like Beyond the Sea (B-) in that it doesn?t do a sufficient job of enlightening us on its star (or why he was so great), but I was taken in by Spacey?s flashy execution in the direction. Walk the Line is filmed in a very basic, static fashion, which is odd considering that director James Mangold?s previous flick, Identity (B-/B), boasted impressive style and camera work. Since Walk the Line has little to offer on the surface, there is nothing else to be engaged in on a technical level. The cinematography is average, and while the performances are decent (I thought Witherspoon out-shined Phoenix), they probably won?t garner much attention. And neither will this movie.

Walk the Line will probably be left unattended like Beyond the Sea. And since the film lacks a big name like Spacey (and there was buzz surrounding Jamie Foxx?s performance before Ray opened), attracting a solid audience would have to take some pretty hefty Weinstein strategizing (too bad this film is backed by Fox Searchlight). Sometimes deserving films of this nature get ignored by the Academy and such, which upsets various film groups; but there shouldn?t be much fuss when/if this feature walks off the stage soon after its arrival.

Lee's Grade: C

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%