Elvis
The first act of this biopic by Baz Luhrmann is told with such speed, that if you miss a second, you’ll forget where you are. There are dream sequences, animated sequences, and touches of contemporary beats, as it flows from scene to scene through his life. It’s a hell of a ride, but sometimes it moves just a little too fast for comfort.
This is really the story of Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, who is shown as the bad guy . . . who never misses any opportunities for a quick buck. Presley’s story is told through high’s & lows. The relationship between Parker and Presley feels a little underdeveloped. But where Luhrmann shines, is in showing the addictive but destructive romance between Presley and his live audience. The performance sequences are fabulous. In Presley’s first live show we see how lust spreads through the crowd like a virus, girls screaming back at him in a way he doesn’t quite understand but loves. As the film goes on, his audience grows, devouring him more and more. America changed so much during Presley’s career, from the ’50s to the ’70s, and this is documented here through historical moments.
Austin Butler really is great as Elvis. He’s very convincing at every age, even if he doesn’t quite resemble him physically. The mastered vocal inflections and Presley’s moves on stage certainly capture his presence. Parker is written like cartoon villain, and he plays it appropriately. It’s not realistic but it’s entertaining in the circumstances.
This is everything you would expect from a Baz Luhrmann film. It’s fast, brash, loud, and certainly not boring. It’s more about the legend than the truth . . .
