Watch the
Trailer for Walk The Line
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
Charting the life stories of both legendary musician Johnny Cash and singer June Carter, Walk The Line has proven to be among the most popular music biopics of all time. And with good reason.
Spearheaded by two superb performances (which we’ll come to shortly), the film’s main focus is on Cash himself, from his childhood, early successes, eventual troubles through to the legendary concert of Folsom Prison. His journey also takes in drug problems, the tragedy that haunted him and bumpy relationships with the women in his life. Throughout, of course, there’s Cash’s enviable body of musical work, which not only helps provide markers for his story, but makes for an excellent soundtrack to the movie as a whole.
As a film, Walk The Line is resolutely formulaic, with a structure that’ll be familiar to anyone who regularly watches biopics of this ilk. What really helps this one stand tall though are Joaquin Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon. Pheonix is utterly compelling in the lead role, while Witherspoon is back on the form she displayed back in the days of Election.
James Mangold’s direction is fine and uncluttered, and while his film clearly chooses which elements of Cash’s life to focus on (there’s certainly far more to know than you get in the two and a quarter hours here), it works extremely well as an entry point into the life story of a great musician. Even the casual viewer will get a lot from Walk The Line, and it may even compel them to expand their CD collection off the back of it,--Simon Brew
Product Description
Drama following the life of the legendary 'Man in Black', Johnny Cash. The movie begins in 1955, when a tough, skinny guitar-slinger who called himself J.R. Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) walks into the soon-to-be-famous Sun Studios in Memphis. It was a moment that would have an indelible effect on American culture. With his driving freight-train chords, steel-eyed intensity and a voice as deep and black as night, Cash sang blistering songs of heartache and survival that were gutsy, full of real life and unlike anything heard before. That day kicked off the electrifying early career of Johnny Cash. As he pioneered a fiercely original sound that blazed a trail for rock, country, punk, folk and rap stars to come, Cash began a rough-and-tumble journey of personal transformation. In the most volatile period of his life, he evolved from a self-destructive pop star into the iconic 'Man in Black' - facing down his demons, fighting for the love that would save him time and again, and learning how to walk the razor-thin line between destruction and redemption. Reese Witherspoon won a Best Actress Academy Award for her role as June Carter, Cash's long-suffering wife.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
66 of 67 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give memorable performances in this story of Johnny Cash and his long-time love, June Carter. Johnny grew up poor on a cotton farm, listening to June Carter and her family sing on the radio. He married a girl from home and started singing, but his wife was jealous of Johnny's career and his time away from home. He met June and was smitten, but they were both married; they continued to tour together for years, through June's second marriage and Johnny's terrible drug abuse. June helped him kick his habit and later, Johnny proposed to her onstage.
I really enjoyed the songs in the movie a lot; I was especially impressed that Phoenix and Witherspoon did their own singing and playing and made it look so easy. Phoenix's Johnny is a tortured and self-destructive soul, and Witherspoon's June is spunky and smart. They have great romantic chemistry on-screen and their close-ups are intense! The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Robert Patrick as Johnny's mean and unrepentant father. "Walk the Line" is an entertaining bio pic with infectious music and two very likeable stars.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By S. Moss
Format:DVD
This film is different. Not in a bad way, in a very refreshing and thoroughly excellent way. Joaquin Phoenix is a convincing Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon is phenomenal. The film draws you in and is deeply compelling. I would recommend this film to anyone over the age of about 15. You don't have to be a Johnny Cash fan to enjoy it.
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By Nigel Miles
Format:DVD
I grew up listening to Johnny Cash music played over and over again by my Dad and I really thought I didn't like it at all! I went to see this movie purely because the movie I intended to see wasn't showing. I went with my 11 year old daughter who had never even heard of Johnny Cash.
We went back again after the first showing. It is a 'love story' but a very real and gritty story.
Joaquin Pheonix is more than believeable playing the complicated man in black, and his renditions of Cash's songs are astounding.
Watching Reese Witherspoon in action as June Carter is a treat, and it's easy to see why she earned her Oscar.
Watch out for a passionate performance by Robert Patrick as Johnny's hard liner father.
Altogether a must see film!
We went back again after the first showing. It is a 'love story' but a very real and gritty story.
Joaquin Pheonix is more than believeable playing the complicated man in black, and his renditions of Cash's songs are astounding.
Watching Reese Witherspoon in action as June Carter is a treat, and it's easy to see why she earned her Oscar.
Watch out for a passionate performance by Robert Patrick as Johnny's hard liner father.
Altogether a must see film!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 613 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
walk the line.
I did like this, but I saw a life story of of Johnny Cash on tv that was much better with his songs and the story of his life just before I bought this. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rs Ellen Deeney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I never listened to Johnny Cash in the sixties and seventies but aged watching this film I began to like his music, Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are amazing.
Published 1 month ago by madeleine nowak
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic acting
We first saw this film at the cinema and the dvd doesn't disappoint. The acting and singing is spot on and the film really makes you feel you're gaining some insight into Johnny... Read more
Published 1 month ago by J
4.0 out of 5 stars
Walk the (blue ray) 2005 Joaquin Phoenix Reese Witherspoon
I enjoyed the DVD though I havent been a fan of johnny cash, well played by great cast, If any thing to me it was a bit long, still a good movie, both arrived in good condition. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. M. Bradley
3.0 out of 5 stars
What happened to poor Vivian.....
Firstly it is a fantastic film - great acting, great story and for that it does deserve 5 stars. However I gave it 3 because I want to stand up for poor Vivian. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Shirley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
This is an absolutely great film, great storyline and keeps you interested throughout, would recommend it to everyone. Well worth purchasing. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top notch Blu-ray
This special edition provides superior picture and extras in comparison to its American counterpart. Even the slip cover upstages the American release. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bobby Player
4.0 out of 5 stars
No Feedback
This was a gift and was like by the receiver. Cant really provide a detailed feedback from my side. \\
Published 3 months ago by Vino
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great cd.
I bought this cd for my daughter-in law, who loved the film. It arrived quickly, and is a great cd. Good tone. I would recommend it.
Published 3 months ago by 19glyn
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
i bought this film because for one reason or another we'd never seen it all the way through. i think they may have beeen made to look a bit older as the story went on!
Published 4 months ago by barbara ackland
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
