REVIEW | Elvis
[Guest Review by Joseph the Movie Reviewer]
With a focus on his relationship with manager Colonel Parker, the career of singer Elvis Presley is presented in a stylized fashion.
Director Baz Luhrmann’s stylized storytelling blends well with the energy needed to tell the life of singer Elvis Presley. The fast-paced storytelling did not make the 159-minute film a chore to watch.
Austin Butler gives an exhilarating and raw performance as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He got the voice right. Elvis’s body movements are spot on. The future is bright for this star. On a side note, whoever cast Chaydon Jay as young Elvis deserves a raise. He looks like young Elvis indeed.
As an Elvis fan, I absolutely love watching reenactments of historic Elvis Presley performances. From the 1956 Milton Berle Show-Hound Dog performance to the 1969 International Hotel-Suspicious Minds performance, these reenactments are a treat to watch for diehard Elvis fans.
Elvis beautifully showed Elvis' relationships with his mother Gladys and ex-wife Priscilla. However, the film is ultimately an Elvis-Colonel Parker film. The chemistry between Butler and Tom Hanks sells their scene. Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Col. Parker is just the right amount of “I-wanna-punch-you-so-bad”.
The time jumps might cause the casual audience or non-Elvis fans to be confused or lost. For example, I only knew the scene is from 1968 simply because the scenes are about the 1968 Comeback Special.
@secretjerry #ElvisMovie was mindblowing! It was a treat to see it on the big screen! 9.5/10 Thanks, @warnerbrosph for the invite! #Elvis #fyp #rockandroll #movies ♬ Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
The film’s focus on Elvis’ musical career and relationship with Col. Parker led it to bypass certain moments from Elvis’ life that…arguably…could have given the character more depth. His anger management issues, for example, were presented as an emotional response, rather than an innate conflict.
Rating: 9/10
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