The Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, which I saw this afternoon, is even better than I expected, and everything I had heard was great. The two lead roles were stunningly well—acted by Joaquin Phoenix and Resse Witherspoon. The script was superb, with not a wasted line and real depth to it. The direction was flawless, not showy. The musical numbers, performed by the two leads themselves (and also many of the actors plating other musicians — and Johnny toured with some of the most amazing talent America ever produced) were great. Music was used throughout to great effect.

But most of all, it was moving love story about all the eternal themes: love, loss, temptation, sin, and redemption. This is the rare movie these days which actually has an underlying value base that speaks to our aspirations, while recognizing our imperfections.

I really hope both of the leads get the Academy Award [TM] for best actor and actress. They richly deserve it. And if you want to get a sense of the range of which Reese Witherspoon is capable, rent last year's film, Vanity Fair. As for Joaquin Phoenix, you have a wide selection of roles demonstrating his incredible talent, from 8MM to Gladiator. These two are top notch, and a credit to their profession.

In a year — an era, really — in which we despair over the dearth of creative talent in Hollywood, this film demonstrates that all is not yet lost. Go see it.

Thomas Lifson   11 26 05