Tyler Hilton Movies
Despite essaying occasional on-camera roles, Palm Springs native Tyler Hilton sports even stronger musical ambitions. A prodigious songwriter since the age of 14, Hilton cultivated his vocal technique at an early age, then recorded and shopped around an eponymous debut album. He signed with Maverick records after an impromptu on-the-air performance for Los Angeles KLOS radio led to a performance in the station's annual Christmas concert -- and drew the attention of recording executives. Hilton netted even more widespread attention for his acting feats, however, such as the recurring characterization of Chris Keller on the prime-time soaper One Tree Hill and a startling evocation of Elvis Presley in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line (2005). In 2007 -- coincident with his authorship of a new album for Warner Bros. Records (his fourth release) -- Hilton scored a neat comic turn as a high-school bully-turned-prescription drug dealer in Charlie Bartlett (2007), an offbeat satire about adolescent life. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Longtime film editor Jon Poll (Meet the Fockers and Austin Powers in Goldmember) makes his directorial debut with this coming-of-age comedy about a wealthy public school system newcomer (Anton Yelchin) who wins over his skeptical classmates by serving as a surrogate psychiatrist to the troubled student body. Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, and Kat Dennings co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
James Mangold's Walk the Line tells the life story of country music legend Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix), focusing primarily on the long courtship he had with June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). The film is structured as an extended flashback opening with Cash readying to take the stage at his historic Folsom Prison Concert. The film touches on his childhood, relating a horrific early incident from his life and establishing the troubled relationship he would have with his father (Robert Patrick). Cash joins the military and leaves home. During his time in the armed services he begins writing songs and romances a hometown girl (Ginnifer Goodwin). After the end of his duty he settles down and attempts to begin a music career, but his wife has trouble adjusting to his dreams. Cash auditions for Sam Phillips (Dallas Roberts), signs to Sun Records, and soon finds himself on tour with a roster of young soon-to-be legends that includes Elvis Presley (Tyler Hilton) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Waylon Malloy Payne). On this tour he meets June Carter, the daughter of the famous Carter family, and they take a liking to each other, although she refuses any serious advances from him. Cash gains world-wide fame thanks in part to the inspiration he gets from June, but eventually his marriage crumbles and he develops a serious drug addiction. The film is based on Cash's autobiographies. Phoenix and Witherspoon performed all of their own singing in the movie, just as Sissy Spacek and Beverly D'Angelo did in Coal Miner's Daughter a quarter-century before. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, (more)
