★★★★ 1/2
Going into Elvis, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The trailer looked great and I was curious, not already knowing a whole lot about the superstar. While I wasn’t quite motivated enough to go see it in theaters, I was still eager to catch it on whichever streaming service it ended up on a month or two later. Recently, the movie landed on HBO Max and I got the chance to give it a watch. And it was incredible.
I have seen a couple biographical music movies, such as Yesterday and Bohemian Rhapsody, and enjoy getting to learn about the history while simultaneously being entertained. While Yesterday was a fun, alternative way to explore the Beatles’ music on film, Bohemian Rhapsody fell more along the lines of a traditional biographical film. Maybe it was just the tragic story of Freddie Mercury, but something about Bohemian just seemed a little off to me (although, the Live Aid concert during the last 20 minutes of the film was fantastic). After Bohemian, I was a little skeptical going into this one. Luckily, where Bohemian felt a little off, Elvis was firing on all cylinders.
I was blown away by Austin Butler’s portrayal of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Even not being a big Elvis fan, it was clear that Butler cared a lot about the role. He surprisingly nailed Elvis’ mannerisms, singing and animated movements proving that he was without a doubt the right man for the job. While Butler stole the show, Tom Hanks also brought his A-game to his role as Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ shady (or perhaps snowy) manager. It would be surprising if Butler and Hanks aren’t nominated for Oscars for their respective roles for this film.
Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rogue!, The Great Gatsby), I really appreciated how the story was told from the point of view of Hanks’ Colonel Parker. Rarely are stories of this fashion told from the antagonists’ perspective, and I thought this was a great creative choice setting Elvis apart from its music biopic peers.
Elvis was a fantastic film providing a glimpse into Elvis Presley’s early life, his quick rise to fame and his tragic fall. I’m going to rate Elvis 4 ½ / 5 stars and highly recommend you give it a watch. Those not already a fan of the “King” likely will be after experiencing this film.
Elvis is available to stream on HBO Max.
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