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| Austin Butler as Elvis |
ELVIS (2022). Director: Baz Luhrmann.
"
Every dream I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times." -- Elvis.
Influenced by black musicians, Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) rises from obscurity to become one of the most famous men in the world, his career as singer and actor guided by "Colonel Tom Parker" (Tom Hanks), a mysterious figure who turns out to be ripping him off and making bad decisions due to a secret he has. Elvis' devotion to his fans and his love of performing cause problems in his marriage to Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge), and he may have more trouble breaking away from the Colonel than he thinks.
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| Tom Hanks as the alleged colonel |
There is only one way to take
Elvis and that is as a tribute to a very influential and talented performer. That's really the only way the movie works as it is far too superficial to work as a biopic. Director Baz Luhrmann throws images at the viewer as in a rock video, and there is some creativity in the way the film is presented, although the overly busy style is initially off-putting. Austin Butler is a terrific Elvis impersonator -- although the real Presley has a better voice -- but if you're hoping to find a more in-depth look at Presley the Man you'll be disappointed. I'm not sure what to make of Tom Hanks, who affects a kind of Dutch accent that Parker actually did not have in real life (interviews with the man attest to this -- didn't Hanks do his research?) Other than that Hanks' performance is okay but it often seems little more than a stunt.
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| Priscilla (Olvia DeJonge) with Elvis |
Elvis is more interested in spectacle and presenting an overview of Elvis' life and career than anything else so there aren't that many truly dramatic scenes -- one of them, which is well played, has Elvis firing his manager, the colonel, while performing on stage in Las Vegas. The movie spends all of two minutes on Elvis' film career, which is strange as he did give some fine performances in early movies and even the later campy flicks had their highlights.
Elvis recreates the singer's last performance singing
Unchained Melody -- I believe halfway through the scene the real Elvis is substituted for Butler. The ending is undeniably moving, and Elvis fans will undoubtedly find themselves choking up.
Verdict: Not really a great biopic but admirable as a tribute to Elvis. ***.
2 comments:
Hanks's performance is cartoonish and blatantly scene-stealing; it's a mystery why he was allowed to do that characterization. Austin Butler is very appealing and energetic as Elvis, and the film has moments of epic sweep and imagery that are pure Lurhmann. I particularly enjoyed the Tupelo Mississippi sequences documenting the birth of rock n roll from gospel, blues and rockabilly, the cultural appropriation of African-American music for commercial purposes. But overall, it is not an in depth look at Elvis's inner torment, which still needs to be made! He was a fascinating character and great entertainer.
-Chris
Agreed! This will probably not be the last word on Elvis. Your points on the film on are well taken!
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