Elvis clocks in at a whopping 2 hours and 45 minutes, but the movie flies by with stylistic flare. The movie is a juggernaut with style and substance as we are presented with a feast for our eyes and our ears. Once you are entered back into the world of Elvis you forget how talented and captivating the man is.
With the massive hype surrounding the movie I was worried that it wouldn’t live up to it. But boy was I wrong. Elvis manages to almost surpass the hype it was given and launch Elvis back into the mainstream conversation. Largely, in thanks to Austin Butlers show-stopping performance.
Butler is able to capture the charisma that Elvis had while also giving him life and helping us understand who Elvis was behind the scenes as well. Not to mention he absolutely nailed the dance moves and mannerisms that Elvis was so famously known for.
Tom Hanks as Elvis’ infamous manager blurs the line between comical and brilliant. His character is just so odd it’s almost unbelievable to think he’s real. That being said his character is truly the big bad and does some horrible things that I had no idea were happening behind the scenes that contributed to Elvis’ mental and physical decline.
The movie is able to tell a full story from the start of Elvis’ career to the tragic ending. The movie does a wonderful job outlining the life of the superstar and how he became a household name and the best selling musician of all time. Having this length and care taken into the story helps us connect back with Elvis. Having grown up nowhere near this time period I can say with confidence I am and would have been a fan of Elvis.
That’s what the movie does so well. We are able to be launched back into the time period and into the rise of Elvis. Bringing him back into the mainstream conversation again. A game changing star in the business and a true magnificent talent. Butler does a great job giving us a captivating and relatable look into Elvis and who he was to help audiences grasp who he was behind the jewels and flashy dance moves.
I was proud to say that the movie does a wonderful job explaining the roots of Elvis’ style. They acknowledge that Elvis got his style and flare from the Black community that he lived so closely with. Coming from a struggling poverty stricken family and connecting with that community helped him get inspiration and find his passion for music. That theme is never lost in the film and is always talked about throughout the length of the movie which I really appreciated.
With all the style and pizazz Elvis brings to the table I was surprised at how much of the movie wasn’t always about Elvis. Now, this isn’t a bad thing because it also centers around the business of a music star during that time which is absolutely fascinating. There are moments of triumph and moments of great heartbreak, but they all come together to tell a truly magical story.
The camerawork here is also contributing to this emphasis on style. The camera is constantly moving around and giving us this sense of chaos which is only fitting for the life of a superstar in the 60s and 70s.
Elvis provides us with a fun and stylistic look into the life of of Elvis. While at times it feels over the top and too stylistic that in the end was the whole point of Elvis and his persona. There is a great deal of care taken here to tell Elvis story while also having fun with it. Elvis is not only a musically good time at the movies, it’s a heartfelt story that helps us understand Elvis and the music industry better.
I give Elvis an A
