Just got back from seeing it, nice to see I wasn’t the only one not checking out the Potter film this weekend.
Great performances overall. Phoenix and Witherspoon are both great. The story is solid but doesn’t do anything too crazy in the sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
One thing I was disappointed in was the portrayal of his first wife, very one dimensional. And that’s kind of a shame because what, for me at least, seperates Cash’s rock and roll story is what must have been a really complex situation being married to one woman and finding the perfect woman afterwards.
But overall I did really like it. In some ways it’s good for a Hollywood movie, but I don’t know if I would have wanted a more independent but less polished film.
This is a really, really great movie. Phoenix and Witherspoon both give excellent performances, and I’m amazed that they did their own music. Not only do they sound very good, Phoenix actually sounds remarkably like Johnny Cash (my girlfriend tells me that Witherspoon sounds a lot like Carter-Cash as well, although I wouldn’t know). The supporting cast is also good, particularly Robert “T-1000” Patrick as Cash’s father. Good direction, good writing, just a very good movie all around. Between seeing this today, and “Good Night, And Good Luck” two weeks ago, I have to say: I loves me some Oscar season.
Fantastic movie. I’ve already had to break out the Johnny Cash CD’s, and I’m sure I’m going to have Folsom Prison Blues in my head for a week.
From his Great Depression roots to his first marriage and the start of his music career, through his battle with drugs and his growing relationship with June Carter. If you have any interest in either Cash’s story, his music, or music in the 50’s and 60’s, go see this movie.
Just saw this and I think it was better than Ray. There were no ridiculous backward montages and hallucinations and whatever. Still the same sort of biopic formula (I’m thinking Capote is one of the few that didn’t stick to that) but Phoenix and Witherspoon (especially tremendous) really do go all out in making it compelling.
I think essentially the core story arc of Cash chasing after June makes a more interesting movie than just a film documenting all of Cash’s achievements. Also, the music in the film is pretty outstanding (even if its not really Cash singing).
I don’t think Capote can rightly be called a biopic. It’s more of the story of Capote writing In Cold Blood, it doesn’t address any of the rest of his life.
I’d say that if you do a birth-forward movie, it’s pretty dang hard to break the mold.
