A One Mann’s Movies review of “Elvis” (2022).
My holiday abroad prevented me from seeing “Elvis” in its first week. But I’m certainly glad I caught up with it. For, as Luhrmann says, this is a spectacular movie that really should be experienced on the big screen.
Bob the Movie Man Rating(s):
Plot Summary:
Funfair entrepreneur Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) is looking for an act to appeal to younger audiences. He stumbles across a young man, Elvis Presley (Austin Butler), whose first record released on the Sun label is wowing audiences in the American South. Parker is an expert promoter, but he has very fixed ideas on what Elvis should and shouldn’t do.
Certification:
Talent:
Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge.
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann.
Written by: Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell & Craig Pearce.
Twitter Handles: #ElvisMovie.
“Elvis” Review:
Positives:
- You would have guessed that Baz Luhrmann would have had a ball with the life story of Elvis, and he really does. The movie is a riot of colour and movement and jazz. It’s a riot of fabulous editing and clever transitions: a ferris wheel spins into a record; a jazz singer and evangelists seamlessly mashed together. There’s also a nice use – in the 60’s sections – of the sort of “Thomas Crown Affair” split screens of those times. Brilliant!
- Austin Butler absolutely inhabits the spirit of Elvis. He’s particularly effective in the ‘middle years’ of his career, where the facial similarities to the singer are extraordinary. As my son-in-law – a real Elvis fan – commented “If Rami Malek won an Oscar for putting in some big teeth and prancing around to Queen, then I think Austin Butler should (win too)”. And I agree. I think it would be a surprise if Butler wasn’t Oscar nominated for this, and – without seeing the rest of the field – I think he’ll stand a chance of the win.
- Tom Hanks is also spectacular as Col Parker, although I think the strange accent (which may very well be a good impersonation… I don’t know) might get in the way of a Supporting Actor nomination.
- I think this will also do very well in Oscar technical categories. I’ve already mentioned the sharp editing. But the cinematography (by Mandy Walker) is superb and I found the sound mixing to be mesmerising. It seamlessly mixed little snippets of music, dialogue and sound effects into a really complex soundscape that would be worth watching the movie again to pick apart.
Negatives:
- At nearly 160 minutes, it’s a very long watch. Content-wise, there doesn’t feel much that could have been cut out. Quite the contrary in fact (we don’t see Elvis making his first record deal, for example). Perhaps Luhrmann should have followed the “Father Ted” approach of the “Three Ages of Elvis”? This film (which could have been sub-100 minutes) could have covered his younger years, as a part of an epic trilogy. The material would certainly have had the legs.
Summary Thoughts on “Elvis”:
This is undoubtedly one of the films of the year. You feel like you really are watching Elvis in the story. In fact, at the end of the film, when real clips of Elvis are edited in, its difficult to know if you are watching a heavily made up Austin Butler or footage of Elvis himself. The performance of “Unchained Melody” is a case in point – – I’m still really not sure!
This one is highly recommended. And like “Top Gun: Maverick“, one well worth making the effort to see on the big screen.
Trailer for “Elvis”
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbrmBotVIGw .
I really enjoyed this one too. Austin Butler was amazing as Elvis. I’ve only seen him in a couple of other things…it was a pleasant surprise to see him do such a great job. Did you catch the bit where Elvis talked about the killing of Sharon Tate? In Once Upon a Time in …Hollywood, Austin Butler portrayed one of the three who was supposed to kill her. I wonder if that was in there intentionally?! I thought Tom Hanks’s accent gave more insight into Parker’s personality and villainy! Many people underestimate people with accents, giving him an advantage. I… Read more »
Hi – Thanks for commenting. And thanks for the Austin Butler reference to OUaTi…H. I’d missed that, but you might be right! Hank’s accent was a bit odd. WHile it wasn’t terrible, it did remind me of the great Laurence Olivier’s worst moment (for me) on film… playing the jewish father to Neil Diamond’s “Jazz Singer”. One in the pantheon of terrible accents in movies along with Robert Downey Jnrs murderous Welsh in “Dolittle”!