Walk The Line

Saw Walk The Line over the weekend. Great movie, I can see why there's Oscar buzz. Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter not only provide us a lot of drama in this somewhat unlikely love story, but also sing amazingly well, no lip-synching here. In an early scene where Johnny auditions for Sam Phillips at Sun Records, Phoenix shows us the moment where Cash gained his confidence and his "sound."
The movie shows us the real Johnny, no sugar-coating. Nothing John does seems to satisfy his father, who blames John for his brother's death. Johnny becomes a pill-popping, beer guzzling womanizer - a guy you still root for, realizing there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That light is June, who goes through a few bad marriages herself. She will help him overcome his demons and become his partner in life, as well as on stage. Given his association with country music, it's interesting to see the people John tours with. Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis are there in the early days and these rockers must certainly have had some influence on Johnny. The filmmakers got input from Johnny and June before they passed away, so you know it's a pretty authentic bio. I recommend it.