Walk the Line
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reece Witherspoon, Robert Patrick
Details: US/ 136mins (12A).
From the opening sequence outside Folsom prison, as we hear the drums thumping in unison with the stamping of the impatient convicts' feet as they wait for Cash to take the stage, Walk The Line hooks and grabs the viewer and never lets them go throughout. With the universally acclaimed Ray released last year, the pressure was on James Mangold, director of the criminally underrated Copland, to come up with the goods. He does, delivering a brave move in never shying away from Cash's volatile personality as he is put up on screen, warts 'n all, for the audience to make their own judgements. He is helped in no small terms by Joaquin Phoenix - his first leading role - who takes it all in his stride and proves he is an actor with magnificent screen presence, showcasing Cash's descent into drugs with taste while never reducing himself to cliche. The biggest surprise, however, is Witherspoon, who more than holds her own with a deft performance and can safely step out of the shadow of pre-adolescent chick-flicks. Even if you're not a Cash fan, or indeed a music fan, Walk the Line leaves you with an overwhelming feeling that you've just watched a very impressive film.
Review by Gavin Burke
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