Elvis

There is a lot to unpack about what I did not like about this movie but I also feel I need to 'fess up about my love of Elvis and growing up a fan as a child. I was 11 when he died and it came as a big shock. In rural Norfolk where we lived mostly 20 years in the past so it seemed that he had only just arrived. I spent a long time after following the legend. The Kurt Russel movie, the odd "That's the Way it is / Was" documentaries - stylistically plundered for this movie and of course all the movies. Owning 40 Greatest Hits was pretty much issued to you growing up. Then Punk Rock and New Wave came and Elvis just became the distant past, even if he did shock his audience in a way Johnny Rotten could only dream. Occasionally American Trilogy would come on the radio and I'd crank it up and do an Elvis impersonator sing-along, "Wisha was, inna lanna cotton" I played it on my excited drive to see this movie I had been waiting for, saying to my partner, "If this song is not referenced in the movie, I'll be stunned, it is definitive Elvis".

Once the film started, it was the first track we see enacted by the incredibly brilliant Austin Butler who nails it. Sadly, there is not much else good to say about this movie beyond his performance. It makes sense of course that Baz Luhrmann would open with that. Luhrmann is never one to use a nutcracker when there is a sledgehammer he can bang an idea a few times with until you get it. That's my point. This is not really an Elvis movie. It is a Tom Parker movie that wishes it was an Elvis movie. I am not sure you can be that dark and cynical about Elvis life and hope to get away with it considering what baggage the typical audience are likely to bring to the show. For Elvis to be portrayed as this easily manipulated kid, when anyone who watched the documentaries mentioned above knew The King was always in charge. If you tip the weight of the narrative to Colonel Tom you have to reduce the personality of Elvis. Don't get me wrong when I first heard rumours about this movie I was very keen for a Colonel Tom movie played by Tom Hanks but for that movie to work it needs a less important Elvis, that's a tough trick to pull off.

This movie is only coherent to an Elvis fan. To others not plugged into the folklore, myth and legend, it is long and boring with Luhrmann over egging his point and being cynical and depressive. He either fast forwards too much that is relevant or dwells on insignificance to bolster and pad out the Colonel Tom con artist. There is the art of the conman, the huckster, referenced through this movie. In reality, the biggest card trick is shuffled by the director who promises us a celebration of Elvis but delivers a woeful, tedious tale of a mediocre manager who got lucky clinging to a rocket after it had already launched. Butler is brilliant, no doubt, Hanks is hammy at best. Luhrmann tries to use Elvis to paint Tom Parker which is like I said, using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Fun in places but subtle it ain't. Thang yer verry mush.

Looks like Tom Hanks phoned in his role. His acting, if you can call it that was disgustingly terrible. Austin Butler was the perfect actor to play Elvis. I enjoyed the parts of the movie that he was in without Hanks hovering around trying to steal the scene. The writers needed to delve more into Elvis Presley's early life. Priscilla's character was just a footnote. It was if she was hardly in his life. I would actually watch this movie again if I could delete Tom Hanks from the film. Tom Hanks sucked the life out of the movie as much as Colonel Parker sucked the life out of Elvis Presley and his career.

Compared to other musical biopics that have hit the screen in recent years (Rocket Man, Bohemian Rhapsody), 'Elvis' is tad underwhelming. It is a solid film but Luhrmann's direction failed to fully draw me in and impress.

There is a lot to like about this film however. Austin Butler gives a truly terrific performance and thoroughly shines in the role. He is so charismatic and really embodies everything that Elvis was. Hanks on the other hand is reduced to a bit of a caricature which really didn't work for me. A shame as I am normally a huge fan of Hanks but felt like this casting was a little off.

Perhaps the biggest draw back for me was the style of film making. The opening 30-40 minutes were very chaotic. The non-linear story telling made the opening act feel unnecessarily messy. Once things were unravelled and we started progressing through Elvis' life chronologically, things somehow felt drawn out yet fleeting at the same time. I think Luhrmann missed the mark on this one a bit.

I also would have liked to have seen more from a musical perspective. At times the film had the wrong focus and I think it failed to capture just how and why Elvis became the icon he was.

Despite this the film does a good job of exploring over 20 years of Elvis' life, which is no mean feat. There are some fantastic sequences and brilliant costume work throughout.

Elvis is a solid film and there is a lot to enjoy, but I was expecting more and feel like with such an interesting story to tell this film could have and should have been better.

If you liked the great Gatsby you will love this. Austin butler puts his heart and soul into this movie. He simply becomes Elvis for the duration of it. Baz Luhrmann does an excellent job staying true to The kings story (unlike a certain Freddie mercury biopic of a few years prior) and the movie never drags. The ending sequence is simply moving and will bring tears to your eyes. The only downside I would say is the portrayal of Tom Parker, Tom hanks is an amazing actor but there is something about his performance that just feels off, it might just be the accent that he completely butchers however it still isn't enough to distract from the spectacle that is this movie. I cannot wait to watch it again.

It's probably not the best biopic ever made but I personally loved this take on Elvis. I loved that it exposed The Colonel's abuse and gave some insight to just how much Elivs worked for the benefit of others. He took care of everyone.

I'm not gonna give a long review. I just wanted to share how good I thought it was. Austin Butler deserves an award for how brilliant he was in this role. I saw where some reviewers were complaining about him not looking closely enough like Elvis but I thought he was a nice fit. There was only one Elvis folks. We just have to work with what we have and as I mentioned, I believe Austin deserves an award. He put serious thought and effort into playing this role. He wasn't hard on the eyes either!! Great Job!!

Loved it!