Drama following the life of the legendary man in black johnny cash the movie begins in 1955 when a tough skinny guitar slinger who called himself jr cash joaquin phoenix walks into the soon to be famous sun studios in memphis it was a moment that would have an indelible effect on american culture with his driving freight train chords steel eyed intensity and a voice as deep and black as night cash sang blistering songs of heartache and survival that were gutsy full of real life an