Walk the Line

This movie is about Johnny Cash's life and his romance with June Carter.

The movie features great acting by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

The movie begins with his life as a little boy listening to the radio. He had a crush on June Carter ever since she was only 10 years old when he heard her songs on the radio. He looked up to his big brother and wondered why he was so good. Unfortunately, his brother died one day accidentally on a circular saw. His father blamed Johnny and said that god took away the wrong son. The movie shows the antagony that goes on between many fathers and sons.

Later on, he gets married to his wife and eventually has three daughters. Before she agreed to marry him, she said that her father told her he had problems. When they showed his face, I thought that he really had mental problems.

When he struggled to make his first record, he and his 2 mechanic buddies were so bad, I thought he really did have mental problems. He sang so slowly with a long deep drawl. But, he eventually became confident and sang a lot better after many tours on stage.

At that time, there were no rock stars. He and his traveling band of performers were the first ones. He traveled with other up and coming stars like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.

He falls into temptation when all these girls throw themselves at him. He succumbs to drugs to help him keep going when he gets tired on the road. Later on, he becomes addicted to amphetamines.

He also falls in love with June Carter. I must say I admire his tenacity. He never gives up when his songs were really slow and bad in the beginning. Then, he asks June Carter to marry him after his divorce with his wife. She says no, but after 40 times, she says yes, because he asks her to marry him on stage in front of everybody. That's too much pressure for a girl to say no to.

One time, at the sundry store, this woman tells June Carter she's a sinner for divorcing and remarrying. Marriage is forever.

Christians were a lot more vocal back then.

Anyway, they eventually get married and stay together until their death in 2003.

The highs: Good acting, good story, good biography of Johnny Cash, impressive singing abilities of Phoenix and Witherspoon.

The lows: Went a little long on; adultery, drug addiction; sinners (but sought redemption in the end).

The verdict: A great movie about Johnny Cash and June Carter.

My rating: A, 91.