Cash achieved a level of success untouched by even the biggest country stars before him. His "crossover" status as both a country and a gospel artist attracted millions of fans. And his interest in all types of music led to collaborations with the likes of Bob Dylan. Heck, he even had a TV show on ABC where pop, rock, blues and other musicians were constant guests and live performers. It was equally groundbreaking and polarizing.

But all that success came at a cost, and it started at an early age. The Gift, like a lot of the other biographical examinations of Cash, provides a harrowing account of the singer's childhood. That includes both a rough home life and the death of his brother, two things that would have an immense influence on the music he produced. There's also the drug use, constant touring, divorce, arrests and more. If you're familiar with the man at all, you likely know some (or all) of these tales, but where Zimny's The Gift shines is when Cash himself is doing the talking.

Zimny, who also directed Springsteen on Broadway for Netflix, uses an archive of autobiographical accounts recorded on tape to push the narrative forward. While Burns' goal was to not only tell Cash's story but also place him in the greater narrative of the genre's history, Zimny is able to linger on the cycles of joy, pain and recovery. There's an audio clip for nearly every aspect of the man's career. Commentary from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Dwight Yoakam, Loretta Lynn, Robert Duvall and Rick Rubin provide added detail to each story. And like Burns did for Country Music, Zimny includes Rosanne and John Carter Cash -- two of Johnny's children who grew up in the midst of the trials and triumphs.