Walk the Line
Essay Preview: Walk the Line
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Have you seen Joaquin Phoenix? I dont think you have unless youve seen Walk the Line. Along with Reese Witherspoon, as his co-star, this movie is a must-see. This film, in my opinion, was one of the biggest films of 2006. It is a drama and documentary on the life of the singer Johnny Cash. The director, James Mangold, definitely let his skills shine with this picture.
Joaquin Phoenix played Cash and represented him down to a tee. From the body language, to the singing voice, you have to look hard to find a flaw in his marvelous performance. I dont think that anyone could have made Cash shine as Phoenix did. Witherspoon as June Carter Cash, did such an amazing job fulfilling the role she won an award for her part. I think that the two worked very well together to depict the chemistry that the Cashs had in their relationship. The director could not have picked a better pair.
At first, you notice that the color is black and white. I think that this sets a somber tone for the film. Color is added to show time progression. Then its flashed back to when Cash was a young child and shows how his father was not proud of him. His brother was his fathers favorite and this feeling is let known thought-out the film. When the father is around Cash, the demeanor of the two is distant and grudge-like. His brother dies after a wood cutting accident when the two were young.
The music is mostly Joaquin singing Cashs songs at particular points in the film. At certain points when Joaquin is listening to the radio, as a child, he listens to oldies music. It is sometimes so silent that the audience can get a feel of what the actors are feeling. This makes people feel that they are there in the scene themselves.
Panning shots are taken when Johnny and his band play their first gig, to show the emotions on all the band members faces along with the crowds reaction. A few close ups were taken when Johnny was in the recording studio. These were to make the audience focus on what he was feeling at that particular moment. Also, some were taken when Johnny and June start to fall in love. These conveyed a bittersweet tone to the audience.
I suggest that this film is a family film for children over the age of thirteen. This is because of some of the language and drug references that Joaquin uses to display Johnny Cash.