When legendary country singer Johnny Cash died on September 12, 2003, the music world lost one of its most glittering and enduring stars. Known affectionately as The Man In Black, Cash used his songwriting as a means to exorcise his demons. He barely survived the ravages of amphetamine addiction and alcohol abuse, channelling the rage and despair of these dark, harrowing times into his music. The rawness and naked emotion of his lyrics endeared him to millions, but his heart belonged to just one person, June Carter, the songbird who would become his wife. Their love story underpins Walk The Line, James Mangold's handsome biopic, which concentrates on the years from 1955 to 1968, during which Cash transformed himself from a self-destructive trailblazer into the biggest selling artist of the day. It's a rousing and fitting tribute to the great man, who gave his personal seal of approval to the film, granting use of his unforgettable music. Joaquin Phoenix takes on the Herculean task of embodying Cash through these pivotal years and the young actor is truly electrifying. He brilliantly captures the intensity and frailty of the singer, who chases fame and fortune, blind to the crippling pressures of celebrity. In order to chase his dream, Johnny must abandon his wife Vivian (Ginnifer Goodwin) - the mother of his four children - and his past in Depression-era Arkansas, to tour with rock 'n' roll pioneers such as Elvis Presley (Tyler Hilton), Roy Orbison (Johnathan Rice) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Waylon Malloy Payne). The tour line-up also includes chirpy June Carter (Reese Witherspoon), a feisty, fun-loving girl from Maces Spring, Virginia, who sings and plays the autoharp. She becomes Johnny's muse and ultimately his saviour. Having immortalized his love for his wife in the song 'I Walk The Line' - \"As sure as night is dark and day is light\/I keep you on my mind both day and night\" - Johnny finds himself irresistibly drawn to June. Yet the only time the two of them can be together is on stage, duetting on the song 'Jackson', in front of thousands of screaming fans. Walk The Line shares many similarities with the Oscar-winning biopic Ray, including a tour de force impersonation of a musical icon and thrilling concert sequences. Mangold's film benefits from a scintillating, career best performance from Witherspoon, as the spirited, no-nonsense woman whose unwavering love and support gave Johnny the courage to emerge from his \"ring of fire\", like a phoenix from the flames. The chemistry between the two actors really sizzles in scenes where Johnny and June try to deny their true feelings, afraid of getting hurt. \"Tell me you don't love me,\" Johnny demands. \"I don't love you,\" June tells him almost immediately. \"You're a liar.\" He proposes in the most public way possible - on stage in the glare of the spotlight - with a heartfelt: \"You're my best friend, marry me.\" June finally accepts and the film gets its fairy-tale ending. Both lead actors sing live rather than lip-synching, which adds greatly to the nervous energy of the musical performances. Johnny's unforgettable 1968 concert in Folsom Prison, entertaining the rowdy inmates three years after his arrest for possession of drugs, bookends the film. At 137 minutes, Walk The Line is several verses too long, focusing heavily on the music at the expense of a deeper psychological examination of a great survivor. Overall though, the film hits most of the right notes.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","fnc":"googleTrackerHelper.doTrackPage( '\/'Walk-The-Line-film_options~20399'\/Reviews\/ViewAll\/1' );"}