Film Review: Walk the Line (dir. J. Mangold, 2005)

I really liked this movie, but I'm not sure that it's really that great a movie. If you like that sort of thing, the music is great, and that makes up a lot of the running time (how much of the running time, in percentage terms, is taken up with musical performances?). Reese Witherspoon's performance as June Cash is also great, and she will probably win one more award to go with her Golden Globe and SAG Award. The one thing I find interesting about Witherspoon is that she has such a pretty face--a face that could be distracting--and that that face is, at the same time, so expressive. It's less the delivery of her lines than the expression of those lines through her face. Jaoquin Phoenix is better than one might expect as Johnny Cash, although it's hard to forget that he's not actually Jaoquin Phoenix.

The story is well-told, but it's a story you know. Dirt-poor guy makes it big in music, gets addicted to drugs, but cleans himself up after some interpersonal conflicts, and then goes on to become an institution because, well, his music speaks to people. Especially the common man, who may not have become addicted to drugs, trashed any hotel rooms while on tour, or any of that "life on the road" jazz, but has seen some rough times and some disappointment. OK.

Short post today--the in-laws are in town, and I have to teach tonight (my part-time gig). More posts toward the end of the week and over the weekend.