Ring of Fire

Allison Anders draws from the June Carter Cash biography Anchored in Love for this Lifetime original movie, which starts with June Carter's days as a singer in the Carter Family, where she became a fan favorite (John Doe of the punk band X plays her uncle). By the 1950s, June is a solo performer (now played by singer Jewel Kilcher). June worries that her fiancé, Carl, won't stay faithful after they are married, and he proves her right. While performing at the Grand Ol Opry, she meets Johnny Cash (Matt Ross), who's also wed. Years later, when she's married to a stock car racer named Rip, Carter and Cash go on tour together, and Johnny bonds with June's mother, Maybelle (Frances Conroy). As the years pass, Johnny's drugging grows worse; nonetheless, the two principals marry once they're both single again—and after Johnny gets sober (although that won't last). June tells him that she didn't write "Ring of Fire" for him, but about him. The couple have a son, and June goes on to participate in Johnny's variety show, but his prescription drug abuse continues to cause problems until he finally quits for good. If Kilcher's Virginia accent comes and goes, she still delivers a solid performance, although Reese Witherspoon put a more forceful stamp on the role in her Oscar-winning turn in I Walk the Line. Ring of Fire isn't as distinctive as Anders' previous music films (such as Grace of My Heart), and June's faith receives short shrift here, but this is a decent made-for-TV biopic. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)