# Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. A Walk The Line thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445 "2005-11-17T04:08:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/1 "2005-11-17T04:08:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/2 "2005-11-17T04:15:38Z")
> [@Cat Fight](#): > > . Can he be nominated for a Grammy for this? 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? ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/3 "2005-11-17T04:16:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/4 "2005-11-17T04:28:26Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/5 "2005-11-17T09:35:16Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/6 "2005-11-17T14:31:28Z")
Joaquin and Reese were on Oprah a few weeks ago. They did all of the singing and playing themselves. ---
**Author:** ![chefjef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@chefjef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefjef)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/7 "2005-11-17T16:24:48Z")
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 ☹ ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/8 "2005-11-19T19:53:27Z")
I can’t wait to see it. The reviews have been very good. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/9 "2005-11-19T20:14:17Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/10 "2005-11-19T21:58:39Z")
> [@marymargaret](#): > > I can’t wait to see it. The reviews have been very good. Except for the [Nashville paper’s review](http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051118/ENTERTAINMENT0403/511180337/1341/ENTERTAINMENT04). > [@](#): > > But Phoenix’s Johnny is simply too grave, too much the caricature people had made him out to be, as the myth replaced the man in the waning years of his life. > > Go back and listen to Live From Folsom Prison, or watch TV tapings that Johnny did during that time. The man had an amazing, dry sense of humor and an approachable charm that always gave balance to his more brooding material. We miss much of that in this film. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/11 "2005-11-19T23:05:51Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ragiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ragiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ragiel)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/12 "2005-11-20T05:20:29Z")
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. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/13 "2005-11-20T06:48:30Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I heard somewhere that it was Johnny Cash who picked Joaquin Phoenix to play him. 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? ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/14 "2005-11-20T07:17:01Z")
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.” ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/15 "2005-11-20T07:20:38Z")
I just realized the previous post might be viewed as being in bad taste. I apologize if anyone took offense. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/16 "2005-11-20T08:30:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/17 "2005-11-20T12:34:34Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > 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). And what thing is that? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/18 "2005-11-20T12:38:15Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > (and the thing they botched was something that **everybody** gets wrong, so it’s no biggie). It’s early and I’m a little dense, so please, do tell. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/19 "2005-11-20T22:51:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > And what thing is that? 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.) ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445/20 "2005-11-21T02:39:17Z")
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! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-im-johnny-cash-a-walk-the-line-thread/331445.md?page=2)