Elvis
★ ★★
Why did Dewey Cox have to ruin the musician biopic? Or was it VH1's Behind the Music? It's unfair to judge a film before you see it, but I never imagined myself seeing this movie in the theater until my in-laws heaped lavish praise upon it. I've never been a huge Elvis fan, though I've always appreciated what he contributed to music and to pop culture. I'm also not the biggest Baz Luhrmann defender, but I couldn't help but feel intrigued by how he was going to handle this genre.
Like the man himself, Elvis (the movie) was a roller coaster for me. At times, I really thought this film was brilliant in its style and presentation. The concert scenes, in particular, are invigorating. You really feel like you are there and you completely understand why Elvis was so beloved. Other times, this movie is ridiculous and uneven. It completely falls into the biopic tropes that are cliched and laughable in all the wrong ways.
I liked that this movie gave voice to the manager role in Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). Too often the behind-the-scenes people aren't given their due, for better or for worse. This is as much as Parker's movie as Elvis's, which wouldn't usually be a bad thing if it wasn't for Hank's over-the-top, comical performance. He'll get a pass, because well, he's Tom Hanks. I don't know if it's the fat suit or the accent, but I couldn't stop wondering why they just couldn't have cast a character actor who
actually was the size of Parker. I know it's because they needed a big name opposite the unknown, Austin Butler. But there was no need because Butler is tremendous as Elvis. He embodies the legend without being a caricature and showcases the heart behind the big dreamer.
Luhrmann gets in his own way with his constant cuts and transitions. It's the moments where he sits still where the movie truly connects. There are too many plot holes and cardboard characters, but the movie was successful in that I left understanding the trajectory of Elvis in a better way. I think this movie is indeed a love letter to the man, although the writing fails to stay within its own margins.
