A life story

Good friends are the BEST - hang on to them.



Walk the Line

A favourite movie. I became a Johnny Cash fan because of this movie. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon had to do their own singing and playing for the movie and apparently both tried to pull out when they realised that. They got singing coaches and they did a fantastic job. There is chemistry between them and the line between reality and movieland blurs. Phoenix does not closely physically resemble Cash but he becomes Cash. The build, the stance, the almost blank and often brooding expression which says so much. I guess that's why he is an actor, because he can act. His singing is powerful and totally in character. The prison scene is great, I almost said lovely, but all those tough inmates might object. You can feel the empathy between Cash and the prisoners. Side note - I went on a little Johnny Cash pilgrimage to Folsom Prison and bought the "I shot a man in Reno" t-shirt in Reno. Yep, I'm a fan.

Witherspoon as June Carter is full of "sass", a strong character and her singing is rather good. She looks so cute in those 60's clothes. The inevitability to the relationship between Cash and Carter is clearly portrayed, although it took a while to get there. Ginnifer Goodwin is strong as Viv, Cash's first wife. Waylon Jenning's son Shooter plays his father in this movie, and the other musicians are portrayed rather well, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, I think maybe even Roy Orbison.

This is a good, well-constructed biopic about a complex character. I had to fast forward through Cash's early life, it's a bit sad, not a good word to use, it's more complex than just sad. Events of his childhood pervasively underpin Johnny Cash's way of dealing with life. The music is wonderful. If I had to chose I might pick Folsom Prison Blues and Big River as my favourite Cash songs. And Ring of Fire, and of course, the title track, Walk the Line. I could list a lot more, they are all good. This movie will be at least an annual pilgrimage for me.



Had an excellent couple of days with an old friend - thanks for a great time!