Thought I’d start this up before everyone sees the flick and comes back here ranting and raving. Joachim Phoneix is a fucking dynamo. Can he be nominated for a Grammy for this?
And Reese Witherspoon was fantastic, too, even with the singing (though some critics beg to differ- I, for one, liked her singing even more than June Carter’s). They wrote a great part for her, made sure she wasn’t just some doe-eyed second fiddle or typical one-dimensional woman in the waiting, around just so the male lead can deliver monologues and meaningful looks to her.
Anyone else seen this before the release date? If so, gush away (or criticize- I guess it was a bit straightforward). How did you like it compared to Ray (I liked it more, but I like Cash’s music more)?
Any non-Johnny Cash fans seen it? I’d love to know if they found it interesting, since about half of it was music.
Did Joaquin Phoenix actually provide the voice for the renditions? That would be quite impressive! I must admit I haven’t done my research, one of my professors was blown away by his physical resemblance… perhaps by his vocal resemblance as well?
How did you see it early? I’m jealous. I’ll let you know my take after I see it Friday night, but for now I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s my favorite movie of the year. Johnny Cash is about the coolest singer ever in my book.
Yeah, Joachim did it all. Even learned to play guitar. Apparently Roger Ebert only found this out at the end credits. I knew going in, but I was still blown away. I haven’t gotten a chance to see Brokeback Mountain yet, and I think Jarhead deserves a few, but dangit if it won’t be another musician biopic brouhaha at the Oscars this year. I only wish Cash had lived to see it.
We’re planning on seeing Walk the Line on opening night. I LOVE Johnny Cash, and can’t wait to see this.
(And yeah, I heard that Joaquin spent hours upon hours with a voice coach perfecting Cash’s famous “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” and singing.)
Adam
Joaquin and Reese were on Oprah a few weeks ago. They did all of the singing and playing themselves.
I cannot WAIT to see this - I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about it. I love Johnny Cash as well. I don’t think I can see it this weekend which is a bummer
I can’t wait to see it. The reviews have been very good.
I’m going home for Thanksgiving, and my whole family wants to go see this together. We never do anything with all four of us, and certainly never agree on movies to see as a unit. This has to be a hell of a movie, just to bring the Rosens together for two hours without anyone hollering!
Except for the Nashville paper’s review.
I note that they only briefly mention Reese Witherspoon, who’s a local girl, and they praise the shit out of her. Now, lest you think that I’m thread crapping, I don’t buy the paper’s comments for a moment. First of all, one only has to see the clip where Phoenix says, “You think they forgot?” to know that he’s got Johnny’s dry wit. Second, Johnny met Phoenix before this movie was ever talked about. Johnny wanted to meet him after seeing him in Gladiator and they apparently became good friends, so I don’t doubt that Phoenix knew Cash better than the reviewer did.
Having briefly met Cash once, and living not too far from where he did, I thought that Phoenix was the perfect choice for Johnny, and in seeing the clips of the film, that certainly looks to be the case. Can’t wait to see this movie tonight.
I heard somewhere that it was Johnny Cash who picked Joaquin Phoenix to play him.
I also heard that Phoenix had a real hard time hitting some of the low notes.
Saw the film this morning with Cherished Spouse. We’re both long-time fans.
Stunning. Words fail me.
I did not know that was Phoenix and Witherspoon singing, and I nearly fell off my seat when the credits rolled. Nice, cushiony lean-back seat, too. I was that dazzled.
I did noticed a couple of difficult low notes, and yes, it could have used a little more wit and fun and a tad less brooding and agonizing. But I don’t feel like nitpicking just now.
Finest movie I’ve seen since… well, I don’t know when.
IMDB reports that, as well.
All in all, I thought it was decent, but certainly flawed. I generally don’t like Phoenix as an actor, but he did a decent job. However, there wasn’t really any…meat to his characterization.
Reese is Reese, and while she didn’t add anything to the role, she didn’t detract from it, either.
I thought it about on par with Ray, but not quite as good as Beyond the Sea, the Bobby Darin biopic.
I haven’t seen Last Days, so I won’t comment on that one, but do we really NEED a “musician movie” every year or two?
Who’s next? John Lennon?
Just saw it today with my girlfriend. Loved it. The singing by Phoenix and Witherspoon was amazing. I also liked the actual recording of Johnny and June at the end.
Fun fact: My mother was born in Dyess, Arkansas.
Possibly in the same hospital Johnny’s brother died
My mother said tonight, “That’s probably as close as I’ll ever get to a celebrity.”
I just realized the previous post might be viewed as being in bad taste. I apologize if anyone took offense.
Saw it tonight and loved it. Phoenix did have some trouble singing, but that’s a minor thing, really. Whomever was in charge of making sure things were period correct deserves an Oscar. Unlike Capote, they got almost everything right (and the thing they botched was something that everybody gets wrong, so it’s no biggie). My only complaint with the film is thatThey didn’t show Johnny’s performance at the Ryman where he kicked out the footlights. That would have been totally cool.
And what thing is that?
It’s early and I’m a little dense, so please, do tell.
The labels on the Budweiser beer bottles aren’t quite right. (Yeah, I know, exceedingly nitpicky, but Capote blew the phone cords, cigarettes, and a couple of other minor things.)
Tuckerfan, about your spoiler. They did manage to include the Vegas footlight stomping scene.
Awesome movie! But then again, I have been a diehard Johnny Cash fan since I was a child. I was very impressed with Joaquin and Reese and loved the movie!