Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film, directed by James Mangold and based on the life of country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Robert Patrick.

The film focuses on Cash's younger life, his romance with June Carter, and his ascent to the country music scene, with material taken from his autobiographies. Walk the Line's production budget is estimated to have been US$28,000,000.

The film previewed at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 2005, and went into wide release on November 18. This film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and Best Actress (Reese Witherspoon). Witherspoon won the Oscar for Best Actress, the film's sole Oscar winner.

As of August 22, 2006, the film had grossed a total of $186,438,883 worldwide. On February 28, 2006, a single-disc DVD and a two-disc collector edition DVD were released; these editions sold three million copies on their first day of release.On March 25, 2008 a two-disc 'extended cut' DVD was released for region one. The feature on disc one is 17 minutes longer than the theatrical release, and disc two features eight extended musical sequences with introductions and documentaries about the making of the film.

Plot:

The film details Johnny Cash's life from his growing up as the son of a cotton picker in Dyess, Arkansas, dealing with the death of his brother, his drug addiction, subsequent rescue by future wife June Carter, and his famous concert at Folsom State Prison.

Reception:

Critics generally responded with positive reviews, garnering an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, almost exactly the same score received by Ray, a biopic about Ray Charles, to which the film is often compared.

Baltimore Sun reviewer Michael Sragow wrote, "What Phoenix and Witherspoon accomplish in this movie is transcendent. They act with every bone and inch of flesh and facial plane, and each tone and waver of their voice. They do their own singing with a startling mastery of country music's narrative musicianship."

Phoenix's performance inspired notable film critic Roger Ebert to write, "Knowing Johnny Cash's albums more or less by heart, I closed my eyes to focus on the soundtrack and decided that, yes, that was the voice of Johnny Cash I was listening to. The closing credits make it clear it's Joaquin Phoenix doing the singing, and I was gob-smacked."

Some, including Las Vegas Weekly reviewer Jeffrey M. Anderson, believed the film suffered from having important events distilled into meaningless and unrealistic circumstances. Anderson also accused director Mangold of "stretch[ing] and dilut[ing] the core story until it resembles less a great man's life than a TV movie of the week."

Awards:

Witherspoon's performance was repeatedly recognized, including an Academy Award for Best Actress and awards such as the following:

BAFTA Award as Best Actress
Broadcast Film Critic Award as Best Actress
Golden Globe Award as Best Actress - Musical or Comedy
National Society of Film Critics Award as Best Actress
Online Film Critics Society award as Best Actress
Satellite Award as Best Actress - Musical or Comedy
Screen Actors Guild Award as Best Actress
Academy Awards record
1. Best Actress (Reese Witherspoon)
Golden Globe Awards record
1. Best Musical or Comedy Picture
2. Best M/C Actor (Joaquin Phoenix)
2. Best M/C Actress (Reese Witherspoon)
BAFTA Awards record
1. Best Actress (Reese Witherspoon)
2. Best Sound