Review of Walk the Line (2005) by Kayla K — 29 Sep 2015

Movie Review: Walk the Line.

Not every movie has the ability to capture a viewer's attention, yet it's even harder to find a movie that changes the way its audience feels about particular life views. Walk the Line captured my heart and also gave me a sense of knowing that I'm not the only one. It changed my views on life. Before watching this movie, I felt alone and like no one would ever understand how I was feeling in my situation. After watching Walk the Line, everything happens for a reason and that this is what would later shape the person I would become today. I would either give up by letting my misery consume me, or I wouldn't let everyone else's mistakes become mine. I learned to let go of those feelings and become determined to follow my own path. Having felt this way, Walk the Line is a very relatable and entertaining movie that also includes a historical view on life in that time period.

As a youth going through tough times myself, I felt a bond with the Johnny Cash portrayed in Walk the Line. Cash's childhood involved an abusive, drunken father, but he found a way through it all. Cash became mesmerized with music, specifically the Carter family's, during his troubled youth. Music seems to be an outlet for anyone now, to just let out whatever and still be accepted by society. At first, Johnny had a hard time getting anyone to listen to his music because his songs were too personal. Johnny later changed his style to the one everyone now knows.

Enjoying a movie isn't always about how well it was put together, or who plays in it. This movie is entertaining because it's relatable, yet also a historical piece about Johnny's life. An enjoyable movie can also pull heart strings, or give someone closure. The actors involved really set the standard for this movie. No one could have made a better June Carter than the comical Reese Witherspoon. Director James Mangold wrote the script alongside Gill Dennis, and they both did a terrific job with the story line. At times it seemed like it wasn't centered on Johnny, but rather June and how Johnny affected her life. However, the turning point of Johnny's life does revolve around June and her family. June and her family moved into Johnny's house so they could all take care of him and help him fight his addictions. The mood and the storyline of this biopic is depressing. Throughout the movie, there were times where Johnny became desperate and didn't know what to do. Thanks to June, this movie just goes to show you that caring about someone goes a long way in the end. June attempted many times to keep Johnny away from drugs and alcohol.

Johnny's whole life is a historical event. He greatly impacted everyone around him and they did the same to him. When Johnny and June were children, they grew up in the great depression. The Carter family was the original country music family in there time. June grew up in the family business, but Johnny wanted to get away from anything reminding him of his painful youth. He wanted to follow the only thing that was always there to rescue him, music. Johnny wanted to give back to everyone, and he was phenomenal. Surprisingly, Johnny started out playing gospel music, not the country style that everyone loved so much. Johnny's songs were everything that everyone needed, and also what they wanted. His music inspired many people of different cultures. A lot of people value him, and also the impact he made on society as a hole.

Johnny's music made a huge impact on society. Music made him relatable to everyone who listened. This movie reveals the history behind the legend, and how Johnny's life was not so different from a lot of people. In my opinion, his story is more relatable and heartfelt than others. This is a great movie that appeals to me personally because I can relate to a historical figure, his life, and his music. This movie captures the audience's attention in a way that appeals to the intended viewer. Walk the Line is influential and can change the way you view something in your own life, or it can also give you closure by knowing someone had it worse. If you have never heard Johnny Cash's life story, I would definitely suggest this movie to anyone wanting to know more about him.