Review of Walk the Line (2005) by Cameron J — 26 Apr 2012

Hey, Joaquin Phoenix can play any Joe Schmo, Moe, Larry or Curly that he wants to, but even I have to admit that he doesn't quite have the dude-tastic stature to be the manly man that was Johnny Cash, or at least not until Reese Witherspoon walked onscreen. Now, for those who felt like Reese Witherspoon didn't look quite enough like June Carter, you have at least admit that she was perfect casting for, if no other reason, the fact that she's so tiny that she made Joaquin Phoenix look like a giant. Eh, maybe I'm looking to far into it, and the real reason they casted her was simply because she's just so good in the role, because, again, I don't care how tiny the dude is, Joaquin Phoenix could be playing Randy Savage, and you would still buy him as a man, because he's just so good. Well, then again, maybe he's only helped by the fact that this was directed by James Mangold, who definately knows how to live up to the "Man" part of his last name, having done such manly films as "Cop Land", "Identity", "3:10 to Yuma", as well as... "Knight and Day"... and "Kate & Leopold". Okay, so, those films notwithstanding, when this guy gets manly, oh man do things get manly, and there's nothing quite manlier than a guitar-picking legend of... classic country... who goes through emotional affairs and drug abuse (And not even cocaine or anything; just pills), and has to rely on his tiny girlfriend to help him. ...Yeah, manly! Okay, I don't know if it's all that manly, but boy, does it make for a real good film, though one that's not without the occasional stumble along the line it walks upon.

Really, as cool as the title is, and as much as it fits the subject matter, as far as the tone of the film goes, it doesn't really fit, because this is more like "Limp the Line", and if you're wondering just how slow a film about the eventful life of Johnny Cash could possibly be, then, well, get ready for a surprise, because this film is borderline, if not decidedly glacial. The film is dry and meditative with a surprisingly massive number of scenes that are drop-dead silent, and it's made all the worse by the sound editing, which is truly amazing, though so much so that it only amplifies what sounds there are in the environment and making the atmosphere all the more dry. Of course, just in case you haven't gotten enough of you're certainly not recommended dose of salt in wounds, all of this dryness and quietness falls upon several scenes that go on way too long, and yet, in some ways, not long enough, because even if this film didn't have the looseness to dilute engagement towards Cash's fascinating and heavily layered life, you still wouldn't feel full satisfaction, because this film barely touches on a couple of compelling aspects in Cash's life, even with its 136 minute runtime that, in the case of the extended cut, walks the line 153 minutes. Sure, those glossed over moments are far between, and I'd imagine plenty of people figure that if this film were to spend more than a gloss-over with every particularly notable event in Cash's great life, then it's focus would feel all over the place, but really, I feel that the film would feel more organic if it was to comfortably focus on these subplots and ease us into transitions, because, as things stand, some great opportunities for exposition and packing more layers onto the story go rushed over and make the film's subplots feel rather tacked-on and more jarring in its focus than ever. The all so very over artistic and meditative, yet still rather hurried storytelling plagues the film with some aura of pretense and a palpable dilution in substance, tainting the human touch that a film about the highs and lows in the life and career of Johnny Cash needs so much it's not even funny, and were the film looser in its story structure, tighter in its editing and with more human bang-pow in the overall execution of atmosphere, shoot, forget about it, this film would have been excellent, at worst. However, note that when I pointed out areas in which this film needed improvement in order to be fantastic, I still had very little complain about, because if director James Mangold was actively trying to make the film not as excellent as it should be, then he clearly didn't tell anyone else, as they are giving it their all. Man, I think that even he forgot in some spots, because although he doesn't deliver as thoroughly as he should, on the whole, the boy really knows how to, just at the right moment, bring down a hardcore punch of golden direction to wake himself up, and the audience with him.

Director James Mangold keeps the film consistently slow, and his level of oomph delivery varies throughout, but when he hits a high not, oh boy, does he strike with sharp accuracy. Once the film picks up and does find points where it smooths out a little bit, it really charms, and while it never treads too far from slow grounds, and often falls right back into the deeper parts of the dry dirt, the film engages quite well and quite frequently, especially at the points where that charm falls out and goes substituted by emotion. Very early on in the film, a young Johnny Cash faces the unfacable for anyone, especially a child, and as brief as that moment may be, the way Mangold nails the kind of panic and anguish in the scenario, as well as the subsequent aftermath for the survivors with such raw emotional resonance really pierces, and yet, that's only the beginning. As much as I complain about the sound design intensifying the sounds of silence (Oh wait, that's another band that hit it big in the '60s), it is undeniably pretty excellent and clever, not just because it makes the film and, of course, its excellent soundtrack sound so sharp, but because it actually supplements the substance and atmosphere, not just in that it amplifies the quietness a little too much, but in that it gives the film a kind of soft, as the consensus said, "crooning" that, at times, often along with the fairly handsome cinematography, very eloquently captures subtle emotional depth in a fashion that will, in a feat of golden conjunction between atmosphere, storytelling and fine writing, enthrall and drift you away in a fashion that, for a golden moment, leaves missteps to fall away and go replaced by pure emotional satisfaction, whether it be during that destroying final fight between Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto, or any breakthrough in Cash's and June Carter's rocky relationship. Still, what really pulls you into the scene are the performances, whether it be the lovely Ginnifer Goodwin as a misunderstanding, yet still very struggling wife, or Reese Witherspoon as, well, to put it simple, June Carter, herself, as she transcends the mildly offputting casting choice by authentically nailing that kind of charisma and strong presence that defined the late, great personality, both as a talent and inspiring soul, especially when she supplements that human touch with sparkling chemistry with Joaquin Phoenix. Speaking of which, the real show-stealer is, of course, the line-walker himself, Mr. Johnny Cash, and I say it like that, because Joaquin Phoenix, plain and simple, becomes Johnny Cash with effortless authenticity and fiery charisma, yet when the expected dramatic aspects fall into place, Phoenix powerfully and emotionally nails the kind of layers and even the sense of emotional claustrophobia that was hardly ever touched upon in Cash during his darker moments, giving us a kind of insight into the legend that has rarely, if ever been this thorough. Even with all the golden moments in directing and writing, as well as the worthiness in the story and other excellent performances, it's Phoenix who really owns this show, creating not only a powerfully insightful analysis on such a fascinating and compellingly struggling figure, but yet another awesome testament to his powerful acting skills in this, what is very likely the finest lead actor performance of 2005.

Overall, the film doesn't so much walk along the storytelling line, as much as it drags along it, held down by an unnecessarily dry, meditative tone that dulls down a story structure already plagued by some overlong moments of nothingness, as well as the occasional overly brief glossing over of potentially depth-supplementing exposition; and yet, the film still breaks through as thoroughly enjoyable, more often then not, with director James Mangold providing consistent style and charm, broken up by sobering and effective emotional resonance that, like the rest of the film, is really brought home by the electric chemistry and fine acting from every performer, with Joaquin Phoenix especially standing out by delivering an assured, transformative and deeply charismatic, when not crushingly emotional lead performance that carries "Walk the Line", and helps in making it an ultimately rewarding portrait on the layered, fascinating and painful career and life of the music legend.

3/5 - Good.