Image source: Wikimedia (Walk the Line & Walk Hard)
Facts
“Walk the Line” is a 2005 biopic about the life of Johnny Cash. It stars Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, etc. More about “Walk the Line” on Wikipedia and IMDb.
“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” is a 2007 comedy starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, and others. Written and produced by Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan, it makes numerous references to “Walk the Line”. More about “Walk Hard” on Wikipedia and IMDb.
Commentaries
Unknowingly, I made a mistake – I watched “Walk Hard” before “Walk the Line”. This partly ruined my experience of watching the latter, because each time something dramatic happened, and I would normally feel along with the characters, John C. Reilly’s face would fade in, making it hard for me to decide between taking Johnny Cash seriously or laughing at flashbacks of Dewey Cox’ antics. Other than that, I loved both of these movies. “Walk the Line” is well-played and beautiful, while “Walk Hard” is a cascade of hilariousness. Neither is boring, and both deserve to be watched more than once.
Bottom line
It’s a tie. They are different, but both work their own magic. “Walk the Line” is a great biopic/drama, and “Walk Hard” is a great comedy. I recommend them both, with only one suggestion: watch “Walk the Line” first.
