This was a good film covering Johnny Cash's early years, gaining a musical foothold in Tennessee, struggling with balancing a home life with the touring, and his ups-n-downs when it came to June Carter and to the pills that threatened to undermine everything for him at the height of his musical career.
Joachin Phoenix started out a little shaky as Johnny Cash, but he owns the role once the middle act gets going, and his vocal performances get better and better as the film unfolds, after about 30 minutes into the film, I forgot it was Phoenix on the screen and just accepted him as a young Johnny Cash, warts and all. Reese Witherspoon is solid as June Carter, and presents a hint of what she must have gone through in the 1960's after her divorce while remaining in the public eye performing with Johnny's tour.
As a film, it might have been tightened up a bit, by maybe 5-10 minutes, but that might have meant a musical number getting cut, so I can forgive the 135 minute running time.
I give it 3.5 stars, or a grade of B+.
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