Z/Web

I knew nothing about Jonny Cash — I hadn’t even heard any of his music. But the trailers looked interesting and I loved the music. The movie’s excellent. Phoenix practicallly channels Cash, and Reese Witherspoon (as June Carter) is surprisingly good. The story focuses slightly too much on Cash’s controversial relationships, affairs, and drug abuse; I would have preferred more time on his music and how he created it. However, it does seem to be an accurate representation of his life and I liked much about the way it was presented. Excellent movie and I just bought two Cash albums.

Episodic-type films don’t always work, but when they do, they can be powerful. This one works. It’s an elaborate and complicated story about the inter-relationships of a group of strangers in Los Angeles; coincidence and happenstance connect the people but amazingly, the story never feels forced. The theme of the film is about racism, specifically the fear generated after 9-11. L.A.’s a wild mix of cultures and races and this movie puts them all in a pot and cooks until boiling. What’s great is the way the film plays up stereotypes and then destroys them. Like the bad cop that does something heroic, or the seeming gangster who’s really a loving family man. The film’s a bit slow to get going but eventually becomes really powerful.