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All Movie Info
Directed By
James Mangold
Written By:
James Mangold, Gill Dennis
Cast:
Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patrick, Ginnifer Goodwin, Dallas Roberts, Larry Bagby, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Clay Steakley, Hailey Anne Nelson, Waylon Payne, Tyler Hilton, Dan John Miller, Shelby Lynne, Dan John Miller, Shooter Jennings, Johnathan Rice, Dan Beene
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Walk the Line (2005)
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Movie Review by Justin 
April 3rd, 2006
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A sharp, sturdy, unassuming sense of direction makes this biopic snap. James Mangold and Gill Dennis work to keep us involved at the emotional level, a point that is helped along perhaps because the film is based on the Man in Black's very own writings. The lingering spirituality doesn't come off as reaching or 'stuffed in' -- it's of a guilt-ridden, emotional variety. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give fine, open-hearted performances as soul-weary lovers, who happen also to be something more – the film sells that "something more" as 'good friends.' It's that sort of unconditional acceptance that melts Cash's hard heart and shatters his defenses. It could be said that Phoenix's performance doesn't get to the bottom of Cash's inner turmoil, but if that seems the case, it's because the insightful, resourceful screenwriting casts a bigger shadow. The movie doesn't need Phoenix to persuade us that Cash's story is worth telling, but the actor's got passion and great sadness in his big, dark eyes, and he adds another dash of feeling to an already rich and moving picture, one that's thankfully more about what likely was important to Cash than what anyone else could presume.
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