Review originally posted on 05.26.22 as part of my coverage of the Cannes Film Festival
“Elvis” is not the train wreck many will have you believe. Baz Luhrmann’s biopic is a flashy, and does make you feel pummelled by the end of its 159 minute runtime, but it’s not unworthy.
Luhrmann loves to push the senses with his ADD-infused editing techniques, if you’ve seen “Moulin Rouge” then you know what I’m talking about. He’s basically resorted to directing movies that play like music videos. That’s what “Elvis” is.
At least, this time around, there’s real passion in the delivery. Luhrmann clearly knows the essence, the legend, of Elvis Presley, and what made him such a paradigm-shifting figure immediately after his first single “That’s All Right Mama” was released. Compared to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” at least we’re getting a musical biopic here that is somewhat different than the norm.
I do wish Luhrmann could have let the musical numbers breathe a little more though, and go for a more raw approach to the performances like in, say, oddly enough, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Instead, whenever Elvis performs one of his classics, whether it’s “Hound Dog” or the rousing MLK-themed “If I Can Dream,” it’s always cut-cut-cut-cut with Luhrmann. The results can be maddening.
The decision to have Elvis’ manager, and the villain of the story, Tom Parker narrate the story isn’t such a misbegotten idea as critics may have you believe. I liked Tom Hanks in the role, a villainous presence in this story does add to the drama and, make no mistake about it, the Parker depicted here is accurately portrayed, he was rotten.
Parker suffocated Elvis to the point of installing an imaginary cage around him. Elvis adhered to whatever Parker recommended he do, but not always. The film does show Elvis defying orders and successfully making the right decision, such as behind-the-scenes, without even telling Parker, turning a television Christmas special into his own legendary 1968 comeback special.
Elvis was stifled, smothered, drugged up, whatever you want to call it, by Parker. Hanks dons a fat suit for the role, filled to the brim in prosthetics, and I thought it would be distracting, but it wasn’t. It’s a good performance.
However, it’s Austin Butler who steals the show as the King himself, giving everything he has in the role. Oscar-worthy stuff if you ask me. Butler walks, talks and moves like Elvis. The dazzling workmanship Elvis delivered on-stage is authentically rendered by Butler here, especially the famous shaking of the hips.
As you can tell, I’m a fan of Presley’s music, so maybe I was going to like the film regardless of quality, but, I’m telling you, this is not a bad movie, it has great style and great acting. If you want an Elvis movie concocted in “Bohemian Rhapsody” fashion, then I do recommend John Carpenter’s 1979 ABC TV movie with an excellent performance from Kurt Russell. [B+]