Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon

This movie was such a blessing to my family! We loved every moment of it and definitely a redemption story. Praise God he used Johnny Cash to bring the word to so many people!

So many people had nice things to say about Johnny, and what a story and life he lived! It was so refreshing to see another movie in theaters that glorifies Jesus. I went expecting a documentary about a rock star or even just a great movie but it almost felt like I attended a church service by the end of it. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and I hope this movie reaches even more people so that Johnny can continue to lead people to Christ.

This movie was not a documentary. Evangelicals used Johnny Cash spiritual journey as an opportunity for an alter call. Yes, Cash was a Christian but he was not a Franklin Graham or Greg Laurie Christian. He was as far from the current stream of neo-fundamentalist that are making faith based films today as one can get. I am surprised they did not interview Kirk Cameron for goodness sakes. Johnny Cash was a friend of sinners and addicts (that was the only thing they got right) and it was the way he lived his life that made him Christian not the things he said. They took what could have been a wonderful documentary about his spiritual journey and made it into a propaganda film in order to proselytize. There were some good parts that did show his human side, but then the makers made it out to look like he became holier than thou saint who never struggled again - which is a lie!

I found it particularly curious that his son seems to have had a complete change of heart, after having written such a scathing biography about his mother in 2007. This film is just a series of C&W stars and others commenting on how Johnny Cash influenced them. It totally eliminates the truth (if his son is accurate) about the last half of Johnny & June's lives together as drug addicts spending money like drunken sailors. I did really enjoy his performance at Folsom Prison and, of course, the haunting "Hurt." But I'd read also that the cave story was made up. Is it true or not? I'd been so moved in Nashville at the Johnny Cash Museum, I wanted this to be a REAL documentary about the REAL man... not a bunch of people sainting him in retrospect.