movie review the walk

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

In terms of sheer directorial craft, "The Walk" is masterful, but as storytelling, it's a near-disaster.

That's too bad, because nobody does visceral like Robert Zemeckis . Even in his less-than-great films, there are always two or three sequences that dazzle the viewer, often by evoking the sights and sounds of an extraordinary experience in such a way that you feel as if you're participating in them along with the characters. "The Walk," Zemeckis' account of Phillippe Petit's 1974 tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the old World Trade Center, would seem to be the ultimate Zemeckis set piece, rivaling the awesomeness of the plane crash and island sequences of " Cast Away ," the upside-down jet maneuver in " Flight ," the intergalactic wormhole trips in " Contact ," and the small-scaled relentlessness of the suspense sequences in his under-appreciated 2000 thriller " What Lies Beneath " (which wrung tremendous excitement from the question of whether a nearly paralyzed woman could use her big toe to remove the stopper from a bathtub drain).

The final half-hour of "The Walk" is on that level. It's hard to imagine how it could have done a better job imagining every physical detail of the hero's unmatched physical achievement. Following the movie's New York Film Festival premiere, there were reports of people throwing up in the men's room after suffering virtual vertigo while watching Petit (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt ) stroll, turn and even lie down upon a cable stretched between the towers. In this respect, "The Walk" does not disappoint. Zemeckis is on a short list, along with Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock , of filmmakers who understand how to fuse audacity with simplicity, so that the scale of the flourishes in their biggest sequences is wed to recognizable emotions. He makes sure that you don't just understand how Petit did what he did, but what he might have been feeling during every step of his journey, and what he saw and heard. The metallic creak of the cable as Petit walks; the rustle and hiss of wind passing over his clothes and through his hair; the muffled sound of traffic noises floating up from 110 stories below: "The Walk" makes these and other sensations palpable, along with Petit's delight, defiance and moments of doubt and fear.

If only Zemeckis had faith in his filmmaking power! What "The Walk" is missing, unfortunately, is an ability to recognize when poetry and mystery are enough and should be left alone to breathe. Here is a movie about a man whose life was defined by a daring, unprecedented and now un-repeatable artistic feat (transforming boxy skyscrapers into a stage high above North America's largest city) and who achieved that feat by trusting in his training and bravery and will. But the script, credited to Zemeckis and Christopher Browne , begins diminishing his achievement immediately with tedious chatter, and can't stop doing it.

The movie kicks off with a poorly CGI'd (for Zemeckis) shot of the hero standing in the Statue of Liberty's torch with the Towers looming across the water behind him, talking and talking and talking not to you but at you, often in bizarrely gargoyle-ish close-ups, about the amazing thing he's about to do, or is doing—as if convincing us to buy a ticket to the film we're already sitting there watching.

"You're doing too much!" warns the hero's mentor (scene-stealer Ben Kingsley ) early in the movie. "Do nothing!" The movie ignores its own advice. If the point were to show how the hucksterish aspect of Petit diminished his physical feats, and paint a portrait of an insufferable and in some ways untrustworthy salesman-adventurer who's in love with himself, it might have been defensible, but that's not the case. We're supposed to take everything Petit says at face value. We're supposed to adore him. His narration is an insurance policy intended to guarantee audience involvement and make sure we never fail to understand any point.

"The Walk" starts selling itself to you the second you settle into your chair ("To walk on the wire, this is life!" Petit tells us, jamming his face into the lens). It keeps selling and selling and selling itself, telling you how amazing and wondrous everything is via voice-over and straight-into-the-camera narration, verbally explaining things that Zemeckis' images are already doing a peerless job of showing you, sometimes breaking the movie's spell by having the hero chime in with an observation that's nowhere near as eloquent as the sight of Petit doing what only Petit can do. Petit's narration might be the most counterproductive and irritating narration ever to be glommed onto a potentially great motion picture. Suffering through it is like visiting the Grand Canyon or the Metropolitan Museum of Art with someone who keeps exclaiming how incredible and astonishing everything is every fifteen seconds, to the point where you want to leave and come back the next day by yourself so that you have an actual experience.

"And with this pencil stroke, my fate was sealed," the narration tells us, over images of Petit drawing a line between the towers as depicted in a magazine ad that he peruses while waiting to see a doctor—as if we couldn't figure out why that moment is important, in a movie about a guy who tightrope-walked between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. "This is the beginning of my dream!" The nadir of the movie's poor judgment occurs during its still-mostly-astonishing climax, when Petit lies down on the cable, engulfed in misty cloud cover, and watches a lone gull hovers over him and seems to stare into his eyes, as if wondering if he's some kind of bird, too. The moment has the eerie mesmerizing power of an incantation, but sure enough, here comes Petit in voice-over telling us about how this bird came out of the clouds and hovered there over him and dammit, movie, don't you know we have eyes and ears?

I don't believe in the admonition "show, don't tell." It's a maxim cited by hack screenwriters who make money from how-to books and seminars, not from actual screenwriting. Some of the greatest films in cinema history have active, insistent, even constant narration. But such films are not just telling in place of showing. They're showing while they're telling and telling while they're showing, and the verbal component adds to, and often complicates or subverts, the images and sounds. That's not the case here. Aside from a few practical observations about being an acrobat, there is nary a word of Petit's narration that couldn't be red-lined for redundancy. If what you want is to hear people talk about Petit (including Petit), you might as well buy a copy of the memoir upon which the "The Walk" is based, or watch James Marsh's great 2008 nonfiction film " Man on Wire ," which includes so many re-enactments that it's half a drama, anyway.

"The Walk" is worth seeing on a big screen for its final wire walk (intrusive voice-over notwithstanding), for its lovingly recreated images of the World Trade Center, for its often wry humor (including a marvelous running gag involving an elevator operator) and for some of the supporting performances (notably Kingsley's pitch-perfect mentor performance, and James Badge Dale's turn as a wise-ass Franco-American who joins the team infiltrating the towers). Gordon-Levitt is verbally miscast (his Franch acc- SANT is too theatrical and might make you wish they'd cast an actual French actor) but physically convincing; you buy him as a man driven to achieve the impossible, and willing to do the hard work necessary to hone his skills, and you also believe him as a charismatic, selfish leader whose hint of madness is as attractive as it is troubling. But this is ultimately a frustrating work. "The Walk" has everything it needs to be a modern classic, except for an understanding that when you have everything you need to make a such a film, it doesn't need to hype itself and explain itself. It can just be . 

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

Now playing

Gasoline Rainbow

Peyton robinson.

Dusk for a Hitman

Robert daniels.

We Grown Now

The Blue Angels

Monica Castillo

Brian Tallerico

Film credits.

The Walk (2015)

Rated PG for thematic elements involving perilous situations, and for some nudity, language, brief drug references and smoking

123 minutes

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit

Ben Kingsley as Papa Rudy

Charlotte Le Bon as Annie Allix

Ben Schwartz as Albert

James Badge Dale

Steve Valentine as Barry Greenhouse

Mark Camacho as Guy Tozolli

• Robert Zemeckis
• Christopher Browne
• Philippe Petit

Director of Photography

• Dariusz Wolski

Latest blog posts

Book Excerpt: Hollywood Pride by Alonso Duralde

Cannes 2024: Megalopolis, Bird, The Damned, Meeting with Pol Pot

Prime Video's Outer Range Opens Up in a Hole New Way in Season 2

The Ebert Fellows Go to Ebertfest 2024

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

The Walk review – amazing spectacle despite wobbly accents

Robert Zemeckis brings his technical brilliance to this vertigo-inducing tale of high-wire artist Philippe Petit

J ames Marsh’s brilliantly dramatic 2008 documentary Man on Wire told us much about Philippe Petit, the Frenchman who famously performed an illegal high-wire act between the twin towers of New York’s newly built World Trade Center in 1974. From the retrospectively sinister overtones of planning of “ le coup ” (the “artistic crime of the century”) to Petit’s euphoric post-walk infidelity (he discovered “what it meant to be famous”, recalls former girlfriend, Annie Allix), Marsh’s film provided both a celebration and analysis of this supremely life-affirming stunt. All it lacked was moving footage of the walk itself, which is preserved only in still photographs and in the vivid memories of those who saw it with their own eyes. Robert Zemeckis’s lively drama fills that gap with a show-stopping sequence that puts the viewer right there on the wire as Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) steps out into “the void”.

With handsome cinematography and all-but-seamless CG (the latter a directorial trademark since the days of Forrest Gump ), Zemeckis conjures impossibly vertiginous views that will have you clinging on to your cinema seats; I actually hid my eyes from the laser-projected 3D Imax image at one point, overwhelmed by the sheer visceral spectacle of it all. Elsewhere, the drama is less sure footed, with Zemeckis and co-writer Christopher Browne smoothing the rough edges off the story (from Petit’s memoir To Reach the Clouds ), which is told in carnivalesque broad strokes replete with hit-and-miss comedy. The accents are wobbly too, with Gordon-Levitt narrating Petit’s tale in cod ’ Allo ’Allo tones while Ben Kingsley experiments with some non-specific Czech-lite vowels as Philippe’s mentor, Papa Rudy. It says much about the power of the film’s visual piece de resistance that none of this undercuts the jaw-dropping exhilaration of that titular walk. Few are going to come out complaining about the dialogue. Plaudits, too, to Zemeckis for avoiding the potential mawkish pitfalls of the final frames, ending on a note of restrained elegy – romantic, nostalgic and affirmative.

• The Observer
• Drama films

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

The Walk Review

02 Oct 2015

NaN minutes

Robert Zemeckis’ telling of the high-wire derring-do of Philippe Petit exhausts itself for a long time trying to answer a niggling question: why does it exist when we have the Oscar-winning, widely seen documentary Man On Wire, which already thrillingly told of Petit’s absurd plan to illegally tightrope-walk between New York’s Twin Towers? It finds its answer eventually, and it’s a pretty convincing one, but there’s an awful lot of wobble beforehand.

There is a foundational problem with telling Petit’s story. He’s a bit of a prick. A lot of one, actually. Even when he’s an anonymous street performer, he considers himself superior to everyone. He shouts. He bullies people into helping him. He’s a pain in the bum. Boorishness is somehow easier to watch in a documentary, because you’re investing in the facts of a story rather than any one person in it. In scripted drama, with which we’re conditioned to empathise, an annoying central character is a problem. Joseph Gordon-Levitt can’t be criticised for his energy in the role, even if his manner, like any non-Frenchman playing French, comes off a touch Pepé Le Pew. There’s always part of you that hopes his rope might give out.

Whether to differentiate his film from the documentary or to echo Petit’s wildness, Zemeckis throws a lot of stylistic gimmicks at the story. The fourth wall is broken immediately and almost every plot point is told in voice-over. It works against him, Petit’s narration giving a cartoonish feel and the narrated exposition offering characters no opportunity to establish themselves independently. The supporting cast is so thinly drawn they can all be boiled down to a single noun — the girlfriend, the stoner, the photographer. And then we get to that walk. It is majestic. There are few directors who know better than Zemeckis where to put a camera for maximum awe. It offers one thing Man On Wire couldn’t, the feeling of being out there. For that stretch, the movie has every reason to exist and it dazzles. Partly because Petit shuts up for a bit.

Related Articles

Movies | 24 06 2016

Movies | 01 04 2016

Movies | 09 10 2015

Movies | 14 06 2015

Movies | 08 06 2015

Movies | 04 06 2015

Movies | 09 12 2014

‘The Walk’ Review: This Well-Intentioned Civil Rights Drama Simpflies Boston’s Struggle for Integration

Terrence Howard and Malcolm McDowell bring depth to a pedestrian melodrama about court-mandated busing in Boston.

By Lisa Kennedy

Lisa Kennedy

• ‘French Girl’ Review: Zach Braff Finds Himself Pitted Against Vanessa Hudgens in a Clumsy Love Triangle Rom-Com 2 months ago
• ‘Sue Bird: In the Clutch’ Review: Adulatory Portrait of a WNBA Legend Takes the Softball Approach 3 months ago
• ‘As We Speak’ Review: Kemba Examines When Artistic Expression Is Wielded as Evidence 4 months ago

Irish Catholic police officer Bill Coughlin believes in the right thing enough to attempt to do it, when in 1974, he is assigned to protect Black children being bused to a high school in South Boston. We know of his public service bent because of what happens when he apprehends a shoplifter outside a Black-owned food market early in the well-meaning, if wrong-headed feature “ The Walk ,” starring Justin Chatwin as Coughlin. He cuts the guy a break, even though the mart’s owner isn’t nearly as sympathetic. The exchange between cop and thief isn’t all Kum Ba Yah, but it is intended to signal Coughlin’s decency. When it comes to walking the walk, Bill Coughlin may prove to be the real deal. As for “The Walk,” the film’s insights about racism come as familiar baby steps.

In 1974, the District Court of Massachusetts ordered Boston to integrate its public school system, using busing. The order was met with white community pushback, fury and violence. Much of this history was beautifully laid out in the 1985 book “Common Ground.” Anthony J. Lukas’s Pulitzer Prize-winning account of race relations in Boston during those years featured three families: one Black, one Irish American, one Yankee. Directed by Boston native son Daniel Adams (and co-written with George Powell), “The Walk” trains its focus on two families, each with a daughter about to begin senior year at the same high school: Coughlin, wife Pat (Anastasiya Mitrunen) and their willful child Kate (Katie Douglas); widower Lamont Robbins ( Terrence Howard ) and daughter Wendy (Lovie Simone). The first day of the school year looms large and menacing for each family. Think Little Rock in 1957 or New Orleans in 1960.

Furious that her senior year is being highjacked by desegregation, Kate Coughlin suffers from the peculiar myopia of many teens (it’s all about her), but she also embraces an overt racism her parents don’t share. Indeed, mother Pat’s halting Russian accent underlines the ways in which Bill is already an outlier in the tight-knit, Irish community.

Popular on Variety

Kate dumps her upstanding junior-year suitor and starts sneaking around to canoodle with neighborhood bad boy John (Matthew Blade), a scion of South Boston brutalism. She begins using racial epithets and one night she joins in throwing a rock at a car driven by a Black man. In that pelted car are Lamont and a terrified Wendy.

The soon-to-be-senior’s head is so screwed on straight that she genially putdowns the local pimp. That ease doesn’t extend to the fact she, her pining best friend Terrance (Coletrane Williams) and their friends will be bused from her predominantly Black neighborhood to an all-white high school. Wendy may be the opposite of Kate, but she too is troubled by of the court mandate.

Instead of richly evoking the era, the movie looks more like it was shot with the scant resources of the 1970s. Even so, the performances often rise above the After School Specialness of the filmmaking and its lessons. Howard brings capped anger and warmth to Lamont. In a pivotal role, Malcolm McDowell does a nice-ugly job as Laughlin, the cigar-chomping neighborhood boss who exerts a smooth, if treacherous, paternalism. Jeremy Piven is particularly loathsome as Johnny Bunkley. He’s John’s father and Laughlin’s muscle (not necessarily in that order), who’s been released from prison too late for a rabies shot but just in time to ply his brand of racist violence.

There is no shortage of familial drama or trauma in “The Walk.” Instead of shoring up an under-told story, this contributes to its flaws. Dramatizing the nation’s big problems — its systemic outrages — by having them play out within the confines of one or two households may have reached its limit in terms of insight. Kate’s teenage rebellion muddies the waters. And the mobster subtheme sets up a “High Noon” heroism for Bill that feels overstated. Although the reliance on it may underline a belief in the spoon-feeding some white audiences require at this late date to grasp the rot of racism.

Arguably, the story of how “The Walk” came to be is more interesting than the film itself. Director Adams met co-writer Powell while he was serving time for defrauding investors. Powell was incarcerated for drug trafficking. Years earlier in Boston, Adams’ father had a hand in the desegregation reforms. Powell’s sister was among the Black children bused. That the two connected, maintained that connection post-incarceration and took to tell the tale of their riven city, now that’s a story.

Reviewed online, May 21, 2022. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 105 MIN.

• Production: A Vertical Entertainment release of a Cinema Management Group, MMF Handshake Partners presentation, in association with Vertical Entertainment, of a Mooncusser Filmworks production. Producers: Hank Blumenthal, Michael Mailer, Paul Hazen. Executive producers: Alex Nazarenko, Rich Goldberg, Mitch Budin, Peter Jarowey, Jeremy Piven.
• Crew: Director: Daniel Adams. Screenplay: George Powell, Daniel Adams. Camera: Don E. FauntLeRoy. Editor: Justin Williams. Music: Robert ToTeras.
• With: Justin Chatwin, Terrence Howard, Lovie Simone, Katie Douglas, Anastasiya Mitrunen, Jeremy Piven and Malcolm McDowell

More From Our Brands

‘kinds of kindness’ is weird, wild, and way more than the sum of its f-cked-up parts, inside a new long island home that puts an american spin on a classic european country house, power conferences team up on tax-return news dump amid strife, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, blue bloods’ midseason finale gave #jamko fans a little anniversary gift, verify it's you, please log in.

The Walk : A Hokey Drama With a Thrilling Climax

Robert Zemeckis painstakingly and beautifully renders the high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s 1974 walk between the Twin Towers.

The Walk opens with a spectacular shot of the New York City skyline, complete with the Twin Towers perfectly recreated in faultless CGI, described lovingly in voiceover narration by the French high-wire artist Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Then the camera pulls back to reveal Petit balanced on the torch of the Statue of Liberty, and the gentle magical realism immediately becomes absurd.

That’s The Walk ’s problem: For most of its running time, it can’t do anything visually splendid without crossing into hokey territory. There’s no quiet, poetic moment that isn’t immediately followed by a loud, clunky piece of comedy, an overwrought monologue, or a ridiculous display of technical prowess.

Recommended Reading

The Two Reasons Parents Regret Having Kids

When Does Someone Become ‘Old’?

Why Toddlers Deserve More Respect

Still, the movie almost gets away with it, because it closes with its titular set-piece, the famous wire-walk Petit performed between the two towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Its director Robert Zemeckis has, of late, become intently focused on the limits of CGI and how they can impact storytelling on film, making motion-capture animated films like The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol. All of that technological mastery is on display in the film’s final 30 minutes, best seen on the biggest screen possible. But whether you can enjoy the stodgy and formulaic lead-up to that bravura stunt depends on your tolerance for bad accents and worse dialogue.

As anyone who saw the Oscar-winning 2008 documentary Man on Wire would know, Petit is at heart a showman, a thrilling daredevil, and caddish clown, and The Walk tries to imitate his spirit from minute one. Gordon-Levitt, an actor capable of tremendous brooding subtlety in films like Brick and Mysterious Skin is fully extroverted here, almost acting as if he’s hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. He’s resplendent in a goofy wig, jarring blue contact lenses, and a heroically silly French accent (a fluent French speaker, he sounds great when speaking the language, but far less so in English).

The film tries its best to match Gordon-Levitt’s carnival-barker performance, but there’s a fine line between charming and strained, and The Walk doesn’t have enough plot to breeze past every ridiculous affectation. Paris is photographed in chintzy black and white, as if viewers were watching newsreel of the Bohemian turn of the century, and it’s a wonder every character isn’t costumed in berets, striped shirts, and rings of garlic, so unsubtle is the rest of the imagery. That tone persists when the film shifts to mid-’70s New York, where every Brooklyn-accented cop looks and acts like he’s on the prowl for the Sharks and the Jets.

There’s an obvious motivation for this kind of pastiche: In personality and actions, Petit is hardly a subtle person, so why not rise to that? But until he gets on that high-wire, there isn’t much for Petit and his gang of misfits—including his girlfriend Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) and photographer buddy Jean-Louis (Clément Sibony)—to do. We see the restless Petit learn the circus trade at a young age from a domineering carnival owner, Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley, sporting an implacable accent of his own concoction,) and then quickly resolving to complete the “coup” atop the Twin Towers once he sees an article about their construction in a magazine.

The narrative bulk of the film is Petit’s meticulous planning and spy-work inside the Towers, building a case for a task the audience already knows he will accomplish. To embellish this, Zemeckis shows just what his camera can do combined with state-of-the-art CGI, sweeping up and down the 115 stories of the World Trade Center with ease and showing off the surrounding views, rendered in immaculate period detail. For anyone made queasy by heights, these are the moments that are easily the most dizzying. Once Petit is on his wire and ready to put on a show, The Walk finally settles down, pulls back on the plot and character stereotypes, and lets its images speak for themselves.

From a dramatic perspective, the most notable thing about Petit’s wire-walk was that it was relatively crisis-free, and the film is happily faithful to that fact. Zemeckis allows himself a couple of wobbly moments (will a specific cinder block break?) but mostly understands that the very sight of Petit between those towers is engrossing enough without any further tension. Once everyone has stopped talking and The Walk ’s technical wizards (along with Gordon-Levitt, who really did perform on a wire, though not 1,350 feet in the air) do their work, the film finds the grace it’s been seeking all along, and its self-serving narration finally feels necessary to the show, rather than thuddingly obvious.

As a piece of storytelling, The Walk has nothing on its documentary forebear, tripping over its lame attempts at humor and suspense too many times. But as something to see—akin to, say, a trip to the Planetarium, or a 20-minute IMAX movie—its set-piece cannot be ignored. Zemeckis’s failing is his inattention to every other detail, but The Walk undeniably exists for its climax: one stunt it does manage to pull off flawlessly.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

In 1974, a Boston Irish cop confronts fierce social pressure after being assigned to protect black high school students as they are bused into all-white South Boston High. In 1974, a Boston Irish cop confronts fierce social pressure after being assigned to protect black high school students as they are bused into all-white South Boston High. In 1974, a Boston Irish cop confronts fierce social pressure after being assigned to protect black high school students as they are bused into all-white South Boston High.

• Daniel Adams
• George Powell
• Justin Chatwin
• Malcolm McDowell
• Katie Douglas
• 9 User reviews
• 7 Critic reviews
• 42 Metascore
• 51 wins & 7 nominations

• Bill Coughlin

• Kate Coughlin

• Lamont Robbins

• Johnny Bunkley

• Mrs. Kelley

• Wendy Robbins

• Billy the Bus Driver

• Barbara Douglas

• Capt. Taylor

• Mr. Douglas

• The Prostitute
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Morris Chestnut was originally set to play Lamont, but was forced to pull out of the project because of scheduling conflicts with Our Kind of People (2021) . His co-star in The Best Man (1999) and good friend in real life Terrence Howard replaced him.

User reviews 9

• mssmithsmith
• Dec 8, 2023
• How long is The Walk? Powered by Alexa
• April 14, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• The Walk - La strada della libertà
• New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Mooncusser Filmworks
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 45 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

Expect the worst from the first half of The Walk . That’s the part before high-wire artist Philippe Petit ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ) hits New York in 1974 and strings up a wire between the World Trade Center towers. Director and co-writer Robert Zemeckis kills time with curdled whimsy as Gordon-Levitt, speaking in zee outrageous French accent, shows us Petit’s early years as a Paris street magician, student of Papa Rudy ( Ben Kingsley ) and lover of Annie (Charlotte Le Bon). But then, oh, baby, does this movie fly.

Cassie's Husband to Diddy After Assault Video: 'Men Who Hurt Women Hate Women'

Sean combs seen kicking and dragging cassie on surveillance video, emmy russell seeks 'redemption' on first post-'american idol' single, marjorie taylor greene has been obsessed with aoc for years.

We’re off from the first suspenseful minute as Petit and his accomplices sneak into the towers (prepare to choke up at the digital re-creation), set up shop and pull off the most lyrical and illicit piece of performance art in, like, ever. Sure, James Marsh’s striking 2008 documentary Man on Wire traveled the same road. But Zemeckis, a technical virtuoso, does it in 3D IMAX. With the help of a killer FX team and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, The Walk puts us up there 1,360 feet above the ground so we can almost feel the swirling air, the tautness of the wire and the rush of exhilaration.

Well, we could if Zemeckis didn’t pile on the voice-over telling us exactly what Petit is thinking. Ignore the tell and focus on the show, spectacular in every sense. The wondrous Gordon-Levitt has always been an actor of natural acrobatic finesse. Here, with lessons from Petit himself, he finds the poetic joy in performing that honors what the movie is about, a man who truly believes art can give you wings.

'Kinds of Kindness' Is Weird, Wild, and Way More Than the Sum of Its F-cked-Up Parts

• CANNES MOVIE REVIEW
• By David Fear

Alleged Steve Buscemi Attacker Arrested, Charged With Assault After NYC Incident

• Arrest Made
• By Tomás Mier

Dabney Coleman, '9 to 5' Actor, Dead at 92

John mayer remembers bob saget in heartfelt birthday post: 'i just miss you'.

• Still Mourning

We Have Reached Peak Ryan Reynolds, Movie Star and 21st Century Celebrity

• REYNOLDS WRAP
• By A.A. Dowd

Most Popular

'mad max' director says 'there's no excuse' for tom hardy and charlize theron's 'fury road' set feud: tom 'had to be coaxed out of his trailer', '3 body problem' renewed for additional episodes to conclude the netflix series, katie holmes’s daughter suri just ensured her father tom will have no part in her theater career, dj akademiks says he'll take entire industry down if convicted in rape lawsuit, you might also like, nbcuniversal studio chief donna langley on ‘fast and furious,’ ‘wicked’ and the future of movies, pride month celebrates its 25th anniversary: the 2024 collections from brands that give back to support lgbtqia+ community, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, cannes palme d’or contenders: who’s in the lead so far, power conferences team up on tax-return news dump amid strife.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘The Walk’ Review: Two Families So Far Apart

This sentimental drama about an upstanding cop caught up in the 1974 school desegregation conflict in Boston recycles tired white-savior clichés.

• Share full article

By Devika Girish

Set in South Boston in 1974, in the riotous aftermath of court-ordered school desegregation, Daniel Adams’s “The Walk” shows its hand early on. We first meet Billy (Justin Chatwin), a working-class Irish cop, as he lets a Black shoplifter off the hook and even pays for the man’s stolen baby formula. The perp responds incredulously with a comment that emerges as the film’s thematic refrain: “Damn, I guess there are some good white pigs left.”

It’s a dubious choice, centering a film about anti-Black racism on a “noble” Caucasian policeman — no matter that Billy responds to the thief’s comment by gratuitously slamming him against the wall and threatening to arrest him.

As the film opens, the Federal District Court has just mandated busing as a means of integrating Boston’s public schools. Much to the chagrin of his prejudiced neighbors, Billy is assigned to escort Black high school students as they are bused to the all-white school attended by his (increasingly, noxiously bigoted) daughter.

Among the Black kids is the bright, brave Wendy (Lovie Simone), the daughter of an emergency medical worker (Terrence Howard). The film occasionally switches perspectives from Billy and his family to Wendy and her father, though their arcs all tie up in a melodramatic display of Billy’s heroism that reaffirms tired white-savior clichés.

The topic is, of course, timely. (When is racism not?) Yet “The Walk” feels dated. Every exchange among Adams’s schema of archetypes — the radical, quick-tempered Black man and the peace-loving Black woman; the impoverished, racist white people and the do-gooding liberals — lands like a platitudinous lecture about “fighting hate,” with the stilted performances (featuring too-forced Bah-stin accents) adding to the after-school-special vibe.

The Walk Rated R for racist epithets and violence. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. In theaters.

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

“Megalopolis,” the first film from the director Francis Ford Coppola in 13 years, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Here’s what to know .

Why is the “Planet of the Apes” franchise so gripping and effective? Because it doesn’t monkey around, our movie critic writes .

Luke Newton has been in the sexy Netflix hit “Bridgerton” from the start. But a new season will be his first as co-lead — or chief hunk .

There’s nothing normal about making a “Mad Max” movie, and Anya Taylor-Joy knew that  when she signed on to star in “Furiosa,” the newest film in George Miller’s action series.

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter  to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

• Become a Critical Movie Critic
• Movie Review Archives

Movie Review: The Walk (2015)

• Greg Eichelberger
• Movie Reviews
• 8 responses
• --> October 10, 2015

I have to be honest, I might just have the world’s worst case of Acrophobia (for laymen, a fear of heights). This phobia could not have manifested itself any more acutely than during the newest release, The Walk , directed by Robert Zemeckis (“Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” the “Back To the Future” franchise and Academy Award winner for “Forrest Gump”), the story of Frenchman Philippe Petit’s famous high-wire walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center in the summer of 1974.

The scenes involving work at the top of the structures brought about a dizzying, head-spinning, almost nauseous wave which washed over me throughout the film’s relatively short 123-minute running time, forcing me to cover my eyes several times like a teenage girl at an “Evil Dead” marathon. Still, the effort to cinematically recreate this amazing feat was so well done, so realistic, so intricately designed that I could not look away for long, lest the full spectacle of The Walk be denied.

The credit here goes to art director Félix Larivière-Charron (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), production designer Naomi Shohan (“ The Equalizer ”) and especially cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (“ The Martian ”) for recreating the New York skyline of the mid-1970s, including the now long missing World Trade Center towers.

Despite this glowing introduction, though, it does take a little work to hit its stride. We are introduced to Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “ Don Jon ”), an imp-like waif with a questionable French accent juggling and doing a street act in 1973 Paris. Entranced by the high-wire, he ingratiates himself into the world of tightrope walker patriarch Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley, “ Exodus: Gods and Kings ”) and soon becomes confident enough to try his first public event. Unfortunately, he loses that confidence, stumbles and falls. Later, however, he succeeds at an illegal trek across the twin spires of the Notre Dame Cathedral, drawing media attention and whetting his appetite for his New York adventure. Of course, Petit cannot do this alone, so he recruits some Frenchmen, a street singer, Annie (Charlotte Le Bon, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”), photographer friend Jean-Louis (Clément Sibony, “ The Tourist ”) and math whiz Jean-François/Jeff (César Domboy, “Week-ends”), as well as Americans J.P. (James Badge Dale, “ World War Z ”), Albert (Ben Schwartz, “ The Other Guys ”) and the scene-stealing Barry (Steve Valentine, “I’m in the Band” TV series and looking very much like Hugh Jackman in “ Pan ”).

The actual walk is enough of a climax, but the real fun is how Petit and Co. prepare for such a journey. Spying on construction workers (the south edifice had yet to be completed), sneaking equipment up the 110 stories and then connecting the tightwire in the dead of night caused any number of chills, especially with characters matter-of-factly working to complete these procedure made this author feel even more queasy. There are so many problems to solve: Security guards to evade, equipment to test, disguises to wear, it makes for wonderful cinema.

Petit, who calls the walk the “coup,” is also immovable and firm in his conviction to complete his objective, even when police, helicopters and false friends get in his way. Despite the fact that we all know (namely those who witnessed or heard about the affair, or those who saw the 2008 documentary, “ Man On Wire ”) that Petit completed his walk safely several times, including kneeling and lying down on the wire (just like we knew the Titanic sank and the Apollo 13 spacecraft made it back home), so there are no spoilers here. The trick, however, was to make each step in the walk as suspenseful and intriguing as possible. I, for one, could not help be recoil and stare in wonder at the final walk at the same time. It was a truly amazing sequence.

Zemeckis, who co-wrote with Christopher Browne — based upon Petit’s book To Reach the Clouds , do just that. And while the action overwhelms the actors at times, the characters hold their own with the story when push comes to shove.

Finally, it’s difficult for us today to see the towers and know they are no longer in existence. Zemeckis realizes this too and acknowledges their loss by lovingly lingering upon them at their birth. The Walk becomes not only the story of a man obsessed with an almost impossible dream, but a requiem to metal and concrete and that which is good in all of us. It’s a bittersweet experience, but it’s also one of the most stirring and emotional experiences one is likely to see in the cinema in many years.

Tagged: New York City , novel adaptation , tightrope , true story

I have been a movie fan for most of my life and a film critic since 1986 (my first published review was for "Platoon"). Since that time I have written for several news and entertainment publications in California, Utah and Idaho. Big fan of the Academy Awards - but wish it would go back to the five-minute dinner it was in May, 1929. A former member of the San Diego Film Critics Society and current co-host of "The Movie Guys," each Sunday afternoon on KOGO AM 600 in San Diego with Kevin Finnerty.

Movie Review: Despicable Me 3 (2017) Movie Review: Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) Movie Review: All Eyez On Me (2017) Movie Review: The Mummy (2017) Movie Review: Baywatch (2017) Movie Review: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Movie Review: The Promise (2016)

'Movie Review: The Walk (2015)' have 8 comments

October 10, 2015 @ 8:11 pm ngon

no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no and no.

Log in to Reply

October 10, 2015 @ 8:41 pm Robert

I have no fear of heights; what I am afraid of is being in a theater full of people who are who may get nauseous from the action on screen. I’ll wait to watch this one from the sofa where I’m safe.

October 10, 2015 @ 9:13 pm douga

Sometimes you don’t need a reenactment. Man On Wire is all you need to see to witness Philippe Petit’s stunt.

October 10, 2015 @ 9:20 pm Garthman

I think I’ll thowup if I watched it.

October 10, 2015 @ 9:57 pm marbledbeef

So the actual walk is the climax of the movie? It’s all backstory and planning for 100 or more minutes? Screw that guys, I’m staying home.

October 10, 2015 @ 10:35 pm OptimusPr1me

Big deal. I saw Tom Cruise rappel and maybe even dance a jig on the side of Burj Khalifa skyscraper…

October 10, 2015 @ 11:18 pm pope on fire

I wonder if they figured in during production meetings how many people will NOT see this because of their fear of heights. Then they can claim that number just like they do when talking about how much money their losing because of those terrible torrenters.

October 10, 2015 @ 11:39 pm clemmons

Barfing into my popcorn is not my idea of a good time. This review will have to be enough for me.

Privacy Policy | About Us

 |  Log in

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Common sense media reviewers.

Well-meaning but uneven desegregation drama has language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Takes on prejudice, asking big questions such as "

The movie has four "good" characters, though some

Story hinges on issues of integration and race. So

A character gets shot; he throws himself in front

Teen couple caught kissing. Sex-related dialogue.

Extremely strong, constant language includes "f--k

Character drinks several cans of beer on front sto

Parents need to know that The Walk is a drama about an attempt to desegregate Boston schools in 1974. The story focuses on the buildup of tension before the first day of school, but the movie is so talky and static that it lacks any drama or power. Language is constant and extremely strong, with uses of "f--k…

Positive Messages

Takes on prejudice, asking big questions such as "Why do White people hate Black people so much?" and "If I'm not racist, but I don't do anything about other racists, does that make me just as bad?" Also questions where racism comes from. The big issue -- the idea of mandatory desegregation -- is shown as problematic, but the movie doesn't offer alternative ideas. Still, the major takeaway is that, despite all the layers and gray areas, the best you can do is try to be kind to everyone.

Positive Role Models

The movie has four "good" characters, though some are a bit thinly written. Black teen Wendy stands up to hatred with love and forgiveness at her new White school. Her father has the same values and is an EMT who saves lives. White police officer Billy tries not to be racist and frequently shows kindness to Black characters, but he could be seen as a "White savior" character. His wife, Pat, advocates kindness and appreciates her husband's attempts to do the same.

Diverse Representations

Story hinges on issues of integration and race. Some positive depictions of Black characters, but -- largely because of the 1970s setting -- they're generally portrayed as somewhat powerless and largely without agency. Some minor Black characters are depicted as pimps, sex workers, thieves. A White woman is from an unnamed foreign country (the actor is from Siberia) and is teased for "talking funny," but she still shows kindness and forgiveness. Racial slurs are used in a negative way.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A character gets shot; he throws himself in front of a bullet to protect a teen. Man shoves teen girl down on grass and punches another man repeatedly; bloody face. White characters throw rocks at two Black characters in a car. Tense, angry protest sequence with man shoving cop. Robber is arrested, slammed into roof of car. Strong violence described in dialogue. Arguing, shouting.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Teen couple caught kissing. Sex-related dialogue. Married couple kissing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Extremely strong, constant language includes "f--k," "motherf----r," "c--ksucker," "s--t," "t-ts," "p---y," "a--hole," "whore," "goddamn," "pr--k," "balls," "hell," "damn." Racial slurs include the "N" word, "nigga," "coon," "spade," "spear chuckers," "negro," "in the jungle," "cracker."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Character drinks several cans of beer on front stoop. Casual social drinking, mostly beer and whiskey. Cigarette smoking. Some pot smoking and cigar smoking. A character appears to have used heroin; a rubber hose is tied to his arm. Spoken references to drugs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Walk is a drama about an attempt to desegregate Boston schools in 1974. The story focuses on the buildup of tension before the first day of school, but the movie is so talky and static that it lacks any drama or power. Language is constant and extremely strong, with uses of "f--k," "c--ksucker," "pr--k," and many more, as well as many racial slurs. Violence includes a man being shot, a man shoving a teen girl to the ground and repeatedly punching another man (with blood), teens throwing rocks at a car, tension and shoving at a protest, and violent dialogue. There's also kissing and sex-related dialogue. Characters drink beer and whiskey, mainly in social settings, and smoke cigarettes, cigars, and pot. A character appears to have used heroin (he's shown with a rubber hose tied around his arm). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In THE WALK, it's 1974 in Boston, and the Massachusetts Supreme Court has ordered a mandatory desegregation busing plan. Several high school seniors have been forced to switch schools, with some White students attending the Black Roxbury school, and some Black students attending the White Southie school. Kate ( Katie Douglas ), who lives with her progressive parents Pat (Anastasiya Mitrunen) and police officer Billy ( Justin Chatwin ), has started dating local "bad boy" John (Matthew Blade), picking up racist behavior as a result. Meanwhile, widowed EMT Lamont ( Terrence Howard ) and his daughter, Wendy ( Lovie Simone ), are preparing for Wendy's year at Southie with courage and forgiveness. At work, Billy feels pressure from his old Southie cronies ( Malcolm McDowell and Jeremy Piven ) to try to prevent integration, but Billy is committed to protecting all the kids, regardless of color.

Is It Any Good?

Well-meaning and full of progressive, anti-racist themes, this drama is nevertheless directed like a static after-school special. It's all heavy dialogue, with little emotional involvement or visual flair. The Walk -- not to be confused with the same-named 2015 movie about tightrope walker Philippe Petit -- opens with several slides full of historical data. It's a clunky way to pass on a great deal of information that's essentially about the Supreme Court outlawing segregation and the many years that passed while nothing was being done. And while the movie seems to agree that mandatory busing of kids to other districts wasn't the greatest idea, it doesn't offer any better ones.

Likely modeling itself after Crash , The Walk tries hard to paint its characters in shades of gray, but it also has a need to drive home its messages, resulting in most characters neatly falling on either one or the other side of the line. The most interesting character is Kate, who was raised well by her progressive parents but easily slips into racist behavior anyway. Douglas plays her in a rounded, organic way, but the movie still doesn't quite know what to do with the character or how to explore her. And some of the setups are so laughable -- Pat carrying groceries through a shadowy parking lot at night, for one -- that they negate the scenes' meaning. The big moment -- the first day of school and a violent protest -- feels artificial and clumsy. It's less a history lesson than a sleep "walk."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The Walk 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

How does the movie address issues related to race and diversity ? Do non-White characters have power or agency? Why, or why not?

Is Billy's character a positive role model? In what ways could he improve? Is he also a "White savior"?

Why do you think it took so long for Boston (and other cities) to implement desegregation? Why was the idea to bus teens to other schools problematic?

How are drug use, smoking, and drinking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 10, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : June 10, 2022
• Cast : Justin Chatwin , Katie Douglas , Lovie Simone , Terrence Howard
• Director : Daniel Adams
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors
• Studio : Vertical Entertainment
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 105 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : language throughout including racial slurs, and some violence
• Last updated : June 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

BlacKkKlansman

Best History Documentaries

Black history on the screen: arts, business & culture.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Screen Rant

14 true facts from walk the line.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Great Music Biopics To Watch After Bob Marley: One Love

10 most inaccurate movie biopics (that are still really good), 10 best biopics, according to ranker.

• Johnny Cash was a legendary musician who found love and success with June Carter in a tumultuous but enduring relationship.
• "Walk the Line" portrays Johnny Cash's rise to stardom, struggles with addiction, and deep connection with his brother and wife.
• Despite some embellishments, key events in the film were genuine, reflecting the essence of Johnny Cash's life and relationships.

Though Walk The Line is an impressive biopic, some audience members might walk away from the movie wondering just how accurate it was. Johnny Cash was a true legend, not only for his songwriting and singing but also for his love of June Carter, his wife of 35 years . The couple was one of the most successful in country music, but it came at a price. Their love story became an award-winning film in 2005 with Reese Witherspoon portraying June Carter and Joaquin Phoenix starring as Johnny Cash.

Walk the Line tells the story of how a young J.R. Cash became not only a country music hero but also a devoted husband to June Carter, the love of his life. From Johnny's issues with addiction to his relationship with his first wife to his rise to stardom, how much of Walk the Line is a true story? With Johnny and June's son, John Carter Cash, as an executive producer of the film, many of the events shown were genuine.

Walk The Line is available to stream on Star+.

10 Upcoming Music Biopics You Need To Be Excited About

From legends like Bob Dylan to tragic figures such as Amy Winehouse, there are plenty of upcoming music biopics for viewers to get excited about.

Ray Cash Did Choose Favorites

The complex relationship between johnny and ray cash.

Robert Patrick portrayed Ray Cash, Johnny's strict and hardworking father. Patrick is better known for his villainous roles in both TV and movies , and he plays the perfect unimpressed father in Walk the Line . In the movie, Ray hated how childlike and wonderous Johnny was .

He wanted Johnny to be serious and hardworking like his older brother Jack. This created a wedge between Ray and Johnny, and according to Wide Open Country , Johnny didn't say that his father blamed him per se, but Johnny's daughter Kathy did. In the book, Johnny Cash: The Biography, Kathy Cash said, " Grandpa always kind of blamed Dad for Jack's death. And Dad had this, just real sad guilt thing about him his whole life. " While every moment between the two in the movie might not have been exactly correct, the spirit of their relationship is.

Johnny's Brother, Jack, Did Die At A Young Age

The tragic loss of jack cash.

One of the big tragedies in Walk the Line occurs when, as a young boy, Johnny goes fishing as Jack stays behind to do some woodworking in the barn. It wasn't until Johnny was walking home that he saw his dad driving frantically down the road looking for him, saying that something horrible had happened to Jack. This tragic moment wasn't just created for the screen .

The movie followed real-life as Jack really did have a fatal injury with a table saw and passed away at the age of 14. According to Republic World , Jack lived for about a week after the incident in real life, but in the movie, he only lasted a few hours before passing away in bed, surrounded by his family. The incident left a mark on young Johnny Cash.

Jack Cash's Religious Beliefs Rubbed Off On A Young Johnny

The influence of jack cash.

Lucas Till and Ridge Canipe had brilliant performances as child actors for the younger versions of Jack and J.R. "Johnny" Cash. Jack was Johnny's older brother who he looked up to until his passing . In the film, Jack was very clearly their dad's favorite child and the one the family leaned on. Jack was also very religious and wanted to be a preacher, according to CheatSheet .

In real life, Jack actually was dedicated to religion and inspired Johnny in some ways. The same site reported that Jack's " spirituality rubbed off " on Johnny and, instead of looking at Jesus as his savior, he looked at Jack as his savior. Johnny tried to live a life he believed his big brother would have been proud of. He even helped to dig the hole for Jack's casket on the day of Jack's funeral, wanting to contribute to laying his brother to rest.

June Really Did Help Johnny Get Clean

June carter's influence.

Fans who like to help others in need might have connected with Reese Witherspoon's character in Walk the Line . In the film, Johnny Cash spirals into a world of drugs as he becomes more famous and the pressure to create art that sells mounts . By the time June realized how severe Johnny's drug issue was, she was already in love with him. In the film, the two spent some time apart before June stepped in and helped Johnny get clean.

According to Town and Country , that part of the film was true. June was shown keeping Johnny at her parents' house and keeping him away from the wrong crowd. Johnny credits June for getting (and keeping) him sober. Though June was able to help Johnny, she allegedly also had her own battles with addiction around the same time, according to their son John Carter Cash, who penned the memoir Anchored in Love and released it in 2007.

Kingsley Ben-Adir captured the reggae legend in Bob Marley: One Love, and there are plenty of other great biopics for viewers to check out next.

Johnny Cash Started Writing Songs As A Kid

The early songwriting days.

Before there was Taylor Swift and her songwriting praises, there was Johnny Cash. In Walk the Line, fans see a young Cash, played by Ridge Canipe, sitting on a bank as he fishes and sings a song to himself that he just made up . The moment is sweet as it shows his innocence before he finds out what happened to his beloved brother Jack, but it also demonstrates his ability to pen songs that would be honed as he got older.

Johnny Cash is one of the most respected songwriters, and it might be because he had years of experience. By the time he was 12 years old, he was writing poems and songs. According to The American Songwriter , Cash once stated, " I always knew I wanted to be a songwriter and a singer. " Thankfully for his millions of fans, he never gave up on his childhood dream.

Jerry Lee Used To Tell Everyone They Were Going To Hell For Their Music

Rock 'n' roll in the 1950s.

The 1950s were a different time. Then, rock n' roll was not widely accepted and many believed it was too rebellious. The idea was that it would corrupt young minds. Joaquin Phoenix's performance as the dark rebel was spot on . In Walk the Line , Jerry Lee Lewis, played by Waylon Payne, tells the other musicians that they're all going to Hell because of their music.

In the book, Johnny Cash: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations, Johnny Cash told the interviewer how Jerry Lee Lewis thought he was going to Hell for not preaching and would also tell the others on the tour they were going to Hell as well for the type of music they were playing. Johnny Cash merely replied, " Maybe you're right, Killer, maybe you are. " It doesn't seem like Johnny was too bothered by the idea.

Johnny Cash Shared An Apartment With Waylon Jennings

Lifelong friends.

Country singer Waylon Jennings (who was responsible for hits like "Amanda" and the theme from The Dukes of Hazard ) and Johnny Cash were lifelong friends. Jennings was a guest on The Johnny Cash Show and the two were in the Highwaymen together along with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. But their friendship goes beyond just their music and performing together .

One of the more lighthearted scenes in Walk the Line is when Waylon Jennings, played by his own son Shooter Jennings, is sitting in front of the open door singing and playing his guitar while Johnny Cash is passed out on the couch. The two country music legends did briefly share an apartment, according to Outsider . They often joked about how Johnny was the cook and Waylon would clean by calling June to come over to do it for him.

Johnny Cash Was Fired From The Grand Ole Opry

Johnny cash's ban from the grand ole opry.

One has to be a real outlaw like Hank Williams to get kicked out of the Grand Ole Opry family. It doesn't happen often. One of the most dramatic scenes in Walk the Line is when Johnny Cash smashes up the floor lights while on stage at the Opry . It happened because he was intoxicated at the time.

In 1965, Taste of Country noted that Johnny Cash joined the elite club of artists banned from the Grand Ole Opry. After he smashed the floor lights with the mic stand, the glass went into the front row of the audience. The pristine country music establishment wanted no part of Johnny Cash's rebellious ways. The ban lasted for a few years, but luckily for country music fans, the two sides repaired things in 1969.

Biopics are usually known for being historically accurate, but that isn't the case for these 10 movies - but that shouldn't be held against them.

In addition to Williams and Cash, other country artists banned from the Opry over the years include Skeeter Davis (for badmouthing Nashville police), Jerry Lee Lewis (for breaking Opry rules about cursing and rock music), and Dierks Bently (before he even became famous for sneaking backstage).

Johnny Cash Listened To June Carter And Her Family On The Radio As A Kid

Johnny cash's admiration for june carter.

A touching moment in Walk the Line was when young Johnny Cash listened to his future wife June Carter on the radio. Fame 10 noted that Johnny Cash first listened to the future love of his life on a Mexican radio station, XER, which would broadcast the performances of the Carter Family. Johnny Cash truly was a fan of the Carter Family long before he met and fell in love with June.

In the film, when Johnny finally met June, it was easy to see why he loved her, and he wasn't shy about telling her he used to listen to her family on the radio . Cash once stated that Mother Maybelle was one of the greatest stars he had ever known and even tried to model his guitar playing after Maybelle's, according to NPR.

June Carter Wrote Ring Of Fire About Her Love For Johnny Cash

June carter's love song for johnny cash.

"Ring of Fire" was one of Johnny Cash's greatest hits as it became inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. (Even the movie won a Grammy for its soundtrack .) Since Johnny Cash was an unbelievably talented songwriter , many believe he wrote one of his most beloved songs. But in fact, Walk the Line got it right, as June Carter wrote the famous tune about her love for him, according to Country Fancast.

June Carter thought up the song one night while she was driving around frustrated about her feelings for Johnny Cash and all the chaos he brought into her life. Originally, she had no intention of having him sing it as she gave the song to her sister Anita. Anita recorded it and released it, but it didn't get the same buzz it would get later. Johnny Cash loved it and wanted to record it. The rest is country music history.

Johnny Cash Was Arrested At The El Paso Airport

Johnny cash's complicated relationship with the law.

" When I was arrested, I was dressed in black " is one of Johnny Cash's lyrics from his hit song "Cocaine Blues ." The man in black was arrested at the El Paso Airport in 1965 for smuggling amphetamines from Mexico, according to Outsider , which was depicted perfectly in Walk the Line . The List wrote that Cash was arrested a total of seven times for drunkenness, drug possession, and picking flowers at 2 am. This did not sit well with his conservative audience. But Cash didn't seem to mind as he knew he belonged with the crowd that had seen hard times.

Interestingly enough, despite his multiple arrests, Cash didn't spend a significant amount of time in jail following any of them. He still had a lot of empathy for those who spent time behind bars and the mistakes they made to get there though .

His Legal Name At Birth Was J.R. Cash

The man behind johnny cash.

Everyone knows who Johnny Cash is, but what about J.R. Cash? They're actually the same person since Johnny Cash's legal name at birth was J.R. Cash. CheatSheet said that J.R. was a compromise between John and Ray as his parents couldn't agree on what to name him. It might have stuck, but when he joined the U.S. Air Force they required him to have a first name so he became John R. Cash.

He changed his name once more to Johnny Cash in 1955 when he signed with Sun Records at the urging of management there. His name to this day, is one of the most well-known and loved in all of country music, thanks to the multiple biopics and movies, but people could have been singing J.R. Cash's music instead if the record label hadn't insisted on a name change.

The users of Ranker have helpfully voted to identify some of the best biopics that have been made, showcasing the filmic power of real lives.

It Was Johnny Cash's Idea To Perform At Folsom Prison

Johnny cash's historic performance.

At Folsom Prison became an iconic album in music history as it revived Johnny Cash's career and became one of his most popular records. According to Johnny Cash's official website , the country legend took the stage at Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968, which was a long time coming .

Cash first became interested in Folsom Prison when he was in the Air Force in 1953 after his unit watched the film Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. The film led him to write his hit song "Folsom Prison Blues," which became popular among inmates who would often write to him to ask him to come to the prisons to perform. Cash saw his comeback as the perfect opportunity to perform for his biggest fans. This moment was shown in Walk the Line , which led to i ts Oscar nomination and award .

Johnny Cash Proposed To June Carter On Stage

Johnny cash's proposal to june carter.

Viewers of Walk the Line cheered when Johnny Cash asked June Carter to marry him, and she finally said yes after the two of them had such a turbulent start to their relationship. Though they had a pretty instant connection, they were initially married to other people, and then coworkers, before they admitted their feelings to one another. Fans might have believed the proposal scene was written to add more drama to the film, but Johnny Cash really proposed to June Carter on stage on February 22, 1968, according to The Boot .

The pair were married a week later on March 1, 1968, in Kentucky. They stayed together in love until June's passing on May 15, 2003 . Johnny Cash followed his wife as he passed away only a few, short months later on September 12, 2003. They walked the line together for 35 years. Today, Walk The Line is still one of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon's best feature films, and a very accurate biopic.

The Last Stop in Yuma County Review: Western Thriller Brings Cool Chaos to a Diner

Starring Jim Cummings and a handful of familiar faces, writer-director Francis Galluppi creates a unique neo-Western with fun little twists and turns.

Quick Links

Some guys walk into a diner... jocelin donahue's diner, jim cummings is a star.

There's a rare type of film that breaks halfway through or so, where the story we've been following suddenly shifts into something totally unexpected, or outright cuts to new characters completely. Of course, Alfred Hitchock's Psycho is famous for this, and it seems to be most prominent in horror films like that — Audition, One Cut of the Dead, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Empty Man , and Zach Cregger's recent film, Barbarian. Now add Francis Galluppi's feature film debut, the deliciously tense Western thriller, The Last Stop in Yuma County , which has finally hit the masses this week. Its success on the festival circuit led to Galluppi being tapped to helm one of the next installments in the timeless Evil Dead franchise .

The great director Jim Cummings ( Thunder Road, The Beta Test ) stars in the film alongside the wonderful Jocelin Donahue ( I Trapped the Devil, Doctor Sleep ) and the legendary Richard Brake (who also starred in the aforementioned Barbarian ). They're all excellent in this unpredictable, atmospheric, and extremely entertaining new movie.

The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024)

• Cummings is reliably solid in the leading role
• Richard Brake and Jocelin Donahue hold their own in gripping supporting roles
• Unique blend of genres of subgenres
• More starpower would have made this more accessible to the masses
• The final moments are a bit of a letdown compared to the rest of the twisty plot

It's fair to say your movie is off to an edgy start with the reliably excellent Jim Cummings starring as — yes — a knife salesman. Given the actor-filmmaker's tendency to portray occasionally violent antics on screen, as evidenced in indie gems like Thunder Road and The Wolf of Snow Hollow , your mind might soar in a particular direction knowing his character in The Last Stop (who is never named, mind you) sells a certain sharp object for a living. It's just one of the several red herrings and purposeful misdirections in this lovely little neo-Western that keeps you guessing all the way through .

Hearing the film's title might jog one's memory of the classic Western 3:10 to Yuma , which was later remade with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. The Last Stop in Yuma County is also set in Arizona, but in a quasi-modern setting — though it's all deliciously retro as we watch a colorful ensemble of characters trickle into a peaceful diner after the nearby gas station taps out and is left waiting for the long-delayed fill-up truck to arrive.

Into the diner walks the knife salesman (Cummings), as well as a pair of blatant crooks on the run: the ever-so-still and terrifying Beau (Brake) alongside the younger and hotheaded Travis ( I Care a Lot standout, Nicholas Logan) . Donahue is excellent throughout as she interacts with a variety of different personality types.

The timeless character actor Faizon Love ( Elf ) plays Vernon, the jovial gas station manager who pops in sporadically, and the whole show is run by the diner's well-to-do but timid server Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue), whose hillbilly husband Charlie (Michael Abbott Jr.) happens to be the sheriff across town. That is, when he's not busy giving his goodhearted deputy Gavin (Connor Paolo) a hard time around the workplace.

The Clint Eastwood Western-Thriller That Inspired Taylor Sheridan to Create Yellowstone

Given all these strangers on the scene, leave it to a local — a.k.a. Pete, played by Jon Proudfoot — to waltz in and stir up trouble after Charlotte has already realized that her establishment is housing more than one criminal at the moment. Shootouts ensue, and bodies drop, but the finest moments come from the incredibly unnerving tension that immaculately builds up until these Tarantino-esque explosions of chaos .

There are also plenty of dryly humorous moments , particularly between the seemingly clueless sheriff who can't piece together that his wife is acting strangely over the phone because she's stuck in a hostile diner with a gun hypothetically pointed at her head. The possibilities here are endless, as a few other side characters trickle in to further complicate the matters at hand, as bank robbers Beau and Travis realize folks are starting to recognize them as the publicized crooks who just escaped from a heist in another part of the state.

Jim Cummings on New Film The Last Stop in Yuma County and the Future of Cinema

Fans of Cummings' charm and wit might be bummed during the middle chunk of the film, since his character is sidelined for the sake of other, perhaps more pressing plot points at work, but fret not: He has at least several moments to shine here. Yes, he's just a star of the film and not working behind the camera in any way — but that's A-OK. Writer-director Galluppi proves here he's a future force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, even if the conclusion of this feature debut loses its steam, especially in comparison to the rest of the thrilling storyline .

From Well Go USA, The Last Stop in Yuma County is now playing in theaters and available on digital.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Link to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• The Fall Guy Link to The Fall Guy
• The Last Stop in Yuma County Link to The Last Stop in Yuma County

New TV Tonight

• Interview With the Vampire: Season 2
• Bridgerton: Season 3
• Outer Range: Season 2
• Spacey Unmasked: Season 1
• After the Flood: Season 1
• The Big Cigar: Season 1
• The Killing Kind: Season 1
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Season 11.1
• Harry Wild: Season 3
• RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars: Season 9

Most Popular TV on RT

• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Bodkin: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Doctor Who: Season 1
• Hacks: Season 3
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Bridgerton: Season 3 Link to Bridgerton: Season 3
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Movie Scorecard

The Best Movies of 1999

Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

What’s Next For Marvel’s Merry Mutants In X-Men ’97 ?

Kinds of Kindness First Reviews: Unpredictable, Unapologetic, and Definitely Not for Everyone

• Trending on RT
• Megalopolis Reviews
• Best Movies of 1999
• Movie Re-Release Calendar 2024
• TV Premiere Dates

The Way, My Way

Critics reviews, audience reviews, cast & crew.

Bill Bennett

Chris Haywood

Jennifer Cluff

Pia Thunderbolt

Laura Lakshmi

Balázs Orbán

‘The Big Cigar’ review: When a Black Panther founder fled to Cuba with the help of a Hollywood producer

S top me if you’ve heard this one: A Black Panther revolutionary and a Hollywood insider walk into a bar … and plan a caper that has the latter helping to smuggle the former out of the country.

That story — about political activist Huey P. Newton and movie producer Bert Schneider, who made counterculture classics such as “Easy Rider” — forms the basis of the six-episode Apple TV+ series “The Big Cigar,” which attempts to be many things at once, weaving in serious themes amid the jaunty energy of a heist.

Developed by Jim Hecht (and based on a 2012 article by Joshuah Bearman), the series makes its intentions clear at the outset, with the voice of Newton, played by André Holland, offering a disclaimer: “The story I’m about to tell you is true. At least, mostly true. Or at least how I remember it. But it is coming through the lens of Hollywood, so let’s see how much of my story they’re really willing to show.”

It’s the summer of 1974 and Newton is arrested on charges of assaulting a tailor and fatally shooting a teenage prostitute. Is it a frame up? Newton says yes, and tensions with the local police and the FBI suggest this isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Out on bail, Newton needs someone who can move mountains, so he turns to Schneider (Alessandro Nivola), with whom he had been developing a biopic. “You’re the hotshot producer,” he says. “You want to produce something? Produce this .”

So Schneider concocts a non-existent movie that will shoot on location in Cuba called “The Big Cigar.” (If the fake-movie-as-subterfuge premise sounds familiar, a similar scheme was cooked up to help American hostages escape from Iran in 1979, a story depicted in the Ben Affleck-directed best picture winner “Argo,” also based on a Bearman article.) Not mentioned here? This wasn’t Schneider’s first fugitive rodeo; he had also recently funded Abbie Hoffman’s escape, stemming from drug charges.

But his plan this time becomes a comedy of errors. Dire circumstances, both logistical and psychological, ensue. But the series is committed to keeping things fairly light and palatable, even as it contends with the brutality of racist police and internal schisms (some of them baited by the feds) that would splinter the Black Panther party.

Regardless of the role, Holland is the kind of actor who holds the screen with a quiet charisma. In Newton, he has also found the character’s roiling intensity fueled by his justified paranoia and a tendency to hold grudges. Sometimes his temper gets the best of him, but he has a clear-headed assessment of how rigged systems function.

Temperamentally, Schneider (and by extension, Nivola) is his opposite — a creature of Hollywood with a movie star girlfriend (Candice Bergen) and a reputation as a renegade despite his nepo-baby origins (his father is president of Columbia Pictures). In flashback, we see Newton begrudgingly attend a party at Schneider’s invitation. When Newton spots Richard Pryor, he asks his opinion of the white crowd: “Deep in their genes,” says the comedian, “they got a lot of guilt and they’re willing to pay a steep price for absolution.”

Newton is skeptical. Revolution is survival to me, he tells Schneider, it’s optional for you. “That’s exactly why I gotta do it,” comes the reply. “I want to finance the revolution!’ To punctuate the moment, Schneider turns and does a line of coke. I mean, I laughed! (Schneider did in fact funnel considerable funds to the Black Panthers, so his words weren’t just Hollywood hokum.)

Like so many projects of this type, it was initially developed as a movie. Nothing came of that and now here we are, with the story stretched out into a multi-part series from showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois that is enjoyably watchable if occasionally tonally uncertain. (One of Barrois’ previous credits is “Claws,” which had a similar approach, both exuberantly outsized but with substance.) Tiffany Boone (as Gwen Fontaine, Newton’s girlfriend and the stabilizing force in his life), P.J. Byrne (as Schneider’s childhood friend and producing partner Stephen Blauner) and Jordane Christie (as Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale) are terrific in supporting roles. The FBI are portrayed as clowns rather than heroes, which makes “The Big Cigar” a rarity in Hollywood at the moment, and the series itself is enjoyable despite the self-congratulatory speeches for Schneider and Blauner each, explaining why they’re good white people. Schneider in particular keeps stressing his close friendship with Newton, but nothing on screen backs that up, leaving it unclear how Newton actually felt about Schneider.

A reason to watch is simply for a terrific exchange that transpires after Blauner has just escaped with his life while trying to coordinate some of the logistics of their plan.

“You were in a shootout in a Jewish deli?” Newton asks incredulously.

Blauner is numb. “All delis are Jewish. I think.”

“Nah, the Italians got ’em,” Schneider chimes in. “The Greeks, too.

Bottom line, he tells Newton: “The mob’s got a hit out on you.” That’s only one of the many problems he will have to contend with. “The Big Cigar” turns all of it into big entertainment.

'THE BIG CIGAR'

2.5 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: Apple TV+

©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Press Herald

Account Subscription: ACTIVE

Questions about your account? Our customer service team can be reached at [email protected] during business hours at (207) 791-6000 .

Garden tours, plants sales and more ways to spend time among flowers

Visit Maine's botanical gardens or get a sneak peek of what your neighbors are growing in their back yards.

You are able to gift 5 more articles this month.

Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Learn more .

With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month.

It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. To get one, go to the subscriptions page .

Loading....

One of the loveliest ways to ease yourself fully out of the post-winter blahs and into springtime is to quit being a wallflower and instead surround yourself with living, blooming plants.

From botanical gardens to plant sales and garden tours, it’s time to make like the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” and while away the hours, conferring with flowers.

The waterfall at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. Photo by Tory Paxson, Courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

TOTALLY BOTANICAL

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay is open for the season, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maine Days are May 31 to June 2, when anyone with a Maine driver’s license or state ID gets in for free. Ditto for dads/father figures on Father’s Day (June 16). Advance registration is required. With more than 300 acres of gardens and natural spaces, including a waterfall, there will be plenty to see, smell and bask in the scenery.

Here are more things to do in Boothbay

A tour group walks on the boardwalk at Viles Arboretum in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Viles Arboretum is a botanical garden in Augusta with 6 miles of trails and more than 20 botanical collections. It’s open daily from sunrise to sunset, and admission is free. There are 224 acres with all sorts of flora and fauna to discover. Leashed dogs are welcome, and the visitor center is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Viles Arboretum offers medicinal plant walks, and although the May 18 session is full, you can still register for the June 15 and Sept. 14 events, lead by herbalist, homeopath and flower essence practitioner Debra Bluth. Tickets are $25. Advertisement

The Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve has four areas to explore on its property in Northeast Harbor: the Asticou Azelea Garden (dawn to dusk daily), the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden (noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday from July 9 to Sept. 8, reservations required), Thuya Garden (dawn to dusk daily, June 15 to Oct. 14) and Little Long Pond Natural Lands (hiking trails and carriage roads open dawn to dusk daily). On June 26, at the Wildflowers of Little Long Pond event, participants can wander around the garden’s fields and forest, spotting wildflowers along the way while practicing how to identify them.

Joyce Saltman, right, and Beth Anisbeck embrace a tree for 60 seconds during a tree hugging event sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation, at Deering Oaks Park last year. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

TOURS AND MORE

2nd Annual Tree Hugging 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Deering Oaks Park, Portland. portlandmaine.gov The tree hugging is a family-friendly community gathering to celebrate Portland’s many trees. Park ranger Liz Collado will lead a sensory awakening and forest bathing session. Along with tree hugging, there will be a storytime, and you can touch a forestry truck and meet naturalist Noah Querido and Portland city arborist Mark Reiland. Just down the road, you’ll find Fessenden Park, on the corner of Brighton and Deering Avenues. The tulips have arrived, and it’s worth a visit to see them.

McLaughlin Garden Lilac Festival 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 24. McLaughlin Garden and Homestead, 97 Main St., South Paris, $5. mclaughlingardens.org You’ll find more than 125 varieties of lilacs at the McLaughlin Garden Lilac Festival. Explore on your own or take a guided tour led by a horticulturist. There will also be family-friendly activities, and you can shop for native and unusual plants.

4th annual Woodfords Community Garden Tour 1-4 p.m. June 8. Woodfords Corner Community in Back Cove, Deering Highlands, Oakdale and Deering Center, $20 suggested donation. woodfordscorner.org Presented by Friends of Woodfords Corner, this self-guided tour features at least 10 gardens. As you make your way down the list, you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised by all of the hidden havens bursting with flowers, plants and impressive yardscaping elements.

Peony Society of Maine 23rd annual Garden Tour 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 8 and 15. Both tours start at 1348 Ohio St., Bangor, $5 donation. peonysocietyofmaine.net You’ll visit multiple gardens in Bangor, Winterport, Ripley and St. Albans, and your senses will be filled with countless peonies. A peony plant will be raffled off at the end of each tour. Advertisement

Hidden Gardens of Historic Bath 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 22. Sagadahoc Preservation Inc., 880 Washington St., Bath, $40. sagadahocpreservation.org The Hidden Gardens of Historic Bath house and garden tour features several homes in North Bath. Every stop on the tour will be a treat for your senses and may motivate you to make some of your own magic when you get back home.

Garden Conservancy Open Garden Days 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29. Beckett Castle Rose Garden, Singles Road, Cape Elizabeth, $10. gardenconservancy.org You’ll see plenty of roses as well as ocean views at Beckett Castle, which sits right on the water, with views of five lighthouses. The castle was built in 1871, and its rose garden features more than 70 varieties of heirloom roses. A 50-foot stone tower doubles as the rose arbor entrance to the castle.

PICK A PLANT SALE

Tate House Museum’s Annual Plant and Herb Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18. Tate House Museum, 1267 Westbrook St., Portland, 207-774-6177.  tatehouse.org The wide selection includes perennials divided from the museum’s 18th century reproduction garden. Visitors can also make their own “seed bombs” and get a sneak peak at a new installation by artist Ashley Page from 10 a.m. to noon.

Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland Spring Plant S ale 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. May 18, Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, 217 Landing Road, Westbrook, 207-854-9771.  arlgp.org   Perennials, house plants and more will be on sale, and plants that don’t have specific pricing are “name your own fee.” Anyone interested in donating plants or pots to the sale should send a message to [email protected] .

Taking Root Plant Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1, Tom Settlemire Community Garden, Maurice Drive, Brunswick, 207-729-7694.  btlt.org This annual sale is organized by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Proceeds benefit the Common Good Garden, which provides food and gardening education for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Master gardeners will be on hand to help shoppers choose their best options.

Scarborough Land Trust Native Plant Sale and Spring Festival 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1, Broadturn Farm, 388 Broadturn Road, Scarborough, 207-289-1199.  scarboroughlandtrust.org Visitors will find native plants, food vendors, local artisans, guided nature walks and activities for kids. To preorder plants, visit the Scarborough Land Trust website.

Maine Audubon Society Native Plants Sale and Festival 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 8, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, 207-781-2330.  maineaudubon.org More than 75 species of native wildflowers, shrubs and tree seedlings will be available, along with workshops, info tables and experts.

Staff writer Megan Gray contributed to this report.

Related Headlines

Headed to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens? Here’s what else to check out in Boothbay

Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.

Enter your email and password to access comments.

Forgot Password?

Don't have a commenting profile? Create one.

Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. Already have a commenting profile? Login .

Invalid username/password.

Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.

Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. You will receive an email to complete the registration. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate.

Already registered? Log in to join the discussion.

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why .

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Send questions/comments to the editors.

Member Log In

Please enter your username and password below. Already a subscriber but don't have one? Click here .

Not a subscriber? Click here to see your options