The flames went higher.

Last night, we went to see Walk the Line. It was decent--the expected plot structure and characterization was present, because apparently Hollywood can't make a biopic about extraordinary people without resorting to ordinary crutches, but the music was great. The dialogue wasn't terrible. The acting was good.

I've read at least half of Cash: The Autobiography--and I'll probably go back and re-read it and actually finish it sometime soon--so I remembered some of the source material. The movie is about the story of Johnny and June, and they do a good job of focusing on that. I mean, but of course they do, because it's the obvious love story. Why would they go into Johnny's relationships with the other musicians and music business people (about whom he writes at length in the book)? How would that make a good feature film, anyway? So I'll give them props for taking the frequent path and keeping focused on that, if such a thing merits props.

I did like how they showed "Ring of Fire" was June's song about falling for Johnny. I always loved that, and it seems like a lot of people don't know it.

The thing that bothered me with the triteness of the storyline and characterization was this: if I had no idea who Johnny Cash and June Carter were, would I believe this story? Or would it just be another load of mainstream movie bullshit? And I don't think I would believe. It comes off as the same old love story crap you see in every shitty romantic comedy where the guy is a gigantic asshole the strong, smart woman falls for despite herself. At least the movie didn't go long enough to show how loving the asshole was all the woman needed to become the beautiful, wonderful person she never knew she could be.

And, oh, hell yes, I am projecting. Just a little. And their story may actually have been just like that. It's just something I don't believe in and I hate to see and it comes off as totally fake. They fail to show us exactly why June would fall for Johnny.

Anyway. Oh, and speaking of biopics, we tried to watch Finding Neverland the other day. Boring. Turned it off.