Elvis & Nixon

It's December 1970. Entertainer Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) is distressed about the effects of drugs and the counter-culture on America. He recruits his friend Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer) on a mission to be named Federal-Agent-At-Large to go undercover. They show up at a White House gate to get a meeting with President Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey). Nixon refuses at first despite his aides Egil Krogh (Colin Hanks) and Dwight Chapin (Evan Peters)'s pleas. Jerry has the idea to get Nixon through his daughter Julie.

This movie is mildly amusing. The history is possible. The performances of Shannon and Spacey are intriguing. Shannon may not be completely correct but he brings a self-possessed actualized personality to the role. The movie plays it mostly straight. There aren't any big surprises but I do like Nixon's initial refusal. There are plenty of light moments which leaves the movie feeling lightly fun. It would be more compelling to go overboard with the broad comedy or go darker. This ends up existing in the milky white toast middle.

I really hadn't heard much about this film, and certainly wasn't going in expecting an Elvis impersonator or someone looking exactly like President Nixon. Wasn't disappointed there in regard to Elvis. Michael Shannon didn't look much like Elvis, but he did have the soft voice, the southern charm thing going for him. He did a fine job with this role. And actually, Kevin Spacey did manage to look a great deal like Nixon. Sounded like him, too. Everyone in this movie did a good job, and worked the roles of those involved in this slightly absurd moment in history to justice. So, I guess what I was, was really pleasantly surprised by this picture. Totally enjoyed myself with lots of laughs and a few poignant moments. I dimly remember this episode with Elvis showing up at the White House wanting to become an FBI Agent Abroad. With a badge. And at the time I recall thinking that only Elvis could be that naïve and yet that brash at the same time. In all honesty, this picture managed to show all of that, and more. What a colorful moment in American history all wrapped up in this fine little film.

I've been waiting to see this movie for a year or longer. Eric Bana was originally supposed to play Elvis, and he would have been a much better fit than Michael Shannon. Michael doesn't look anything like Elvis, and he didn't show any charisma in his performance. Elvis is one of the best looking and most charismatic men to ever live, so it was painful to see this casting train wreck. There are several scenes in the original Elvis Meets Nixon that were left out of this remake: the beginning airport scene where the airline clerk asked Elvis for payment of his ticket and he says "can you send the bill to the Colonel as he has no cash or check book, the scene where he was taken off the plane for carrying a pistol, and the taxicab scene when a Michael Jackson song was playing on the radio. Those were just 3 missed opportunities to spice the movie up. The only redeeming thing about this movie was the convincing performance that Kevin Spacey gave. He looked and played that part to the hilt. I really wanted to love this movie, and I am so disappointed that I could not do so.

All the impersonators in the world and they picked this guy???

Kevin Spacey is good as Nixon.Don't get me wrong, he is one of my favorite actors. Michael Shannon though just kills it. I absolutely love everything Michael Shannon is in. I admit I would have loved to have seen Kevin Spacey as Nixon a bit more but this is mostly Shannons movie. There are two scenes, one where he's talking to his best friend and another where he's talking to himself in the mirror, these two scenes blew me away.So deep and moving.In a better movie I believe just these two scenes would have gained Shannon an Oscar nomination. Years from now when they are finding Shannons best scenes I hope they pick up the two in Elvis and Nixon. The supporting cast are fine here. The movie runs at 86 minutes which is really like 81 minutes without the credits at the end. It could have been an hour long movie though. At times it drags especially the scenes of Alex Pettyfer's character but other than that Elvis and Nixon is a delightful little movie with a great performance from Michael Shannon. You will have the giggles throughout and you will be entertained for sure by the ridiculousness of the whole movie. I really enjoyed it. ***1/2 out of stars.