Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin
Director: James Mangold
Rating:
Enetertainment Quotient: 40%
Genre: Music/Biography
Running time: 136 minutes
MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for some language, thematic material and depiction of drug dependency

Synopsis:
‘Walk the Line’ is a biographical story of the great American singer ‘Johnny Cash’ (1932 – 2003). Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) loses his brother at the age of 12. That creates a huge psychological impact on him. He gets married and has three children while he is still a struggler. Then he decides to join the music bandwagon at a recording studio that gives an opportunity to budding singers and musicians to cut their own albums. He becomes famous in due time and wins a huge fan following. There he gets attracted to another girl June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). He recruits her into his band and starts going on nationwide music shows. As he becomes more successful, he gets addicted to pills and tries to have an affair with June. June is going through a bad marriage and declines his proposal. In a state of frustration, he loses track of his career. He is out of business. His wife leaves him. He has to sell his plush house and buy a small one. He becomes weak. One thanksgiving day, June decides to rehabilitate him. She stays with him and makes sure that he gets rid of all his bad habits. They get together again to form a band and start performing music shows. They become famous again. Johnny is determined to marry June. The rest of the story is all about how June accepts Johnny’s proposal and how they marry and live happily ever after.

What is special in the film?
It is amazing to see such turbulence in the lives of achievers. This film is also a biographical account where you see good as well as bad things happening in the personal and professional life of an artist. There is honesty in the film. There is pain and there is joy. Joaquin Phoenix is exemplary as Johnny Cash. Reese Witherspoon known to all of us as a girly blonde (Legally Blonde) comes up with an outstanding performance as a woman of great determination. They way director has projected the character, determination, morals, self-esteem and will power of the June Carter character is very powerful.

Any similar films?
Ray, Ali, Raging Bull

Any good scenes in the film?
The following scenes are good.

1. June Carter throwing beer bottles at Johnny Cash. (This scene comes at 1.05 hrs in 18th chapter of DVD)
2. June Carter telling Johnny Cash that her friend Johnny is gone long back to remind him of his changed outlook towards life. (This scene comes at 1.36 hrs in 27th chapter of DVD)

Tailpiece: If you observe the films made from biographical stories of most of American artists (Ray, Ali, Raging Bull etc) they all come from middle class or below middle class background. They become famous. They start having affairs. They get into drugs. They fall. They rehabilitate and then they rise to the fame again!!