Movie Review – Elvis

June 28, 2022 2:46 pm Published by Carrie Buchanan

You guys, I went to see Elvis (the movie) last night and it was beyond AMAZING.

All the emotions. I left in tears, but it was just so good! It was LONG so be prepared to sit for two and a half hours. One of those movies that stays with you long after the credits roll.

In my house, my mom watched the Elvis movies and I watched with her, even growing to love them on my own. I got into his music and learned a little about the man himself. I knew “some” things. The famous Graceland. The story of the pink cadillac. Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie. I even knew OF the Colonel. But I didn’t know much beyond that.

To see the life of Elvis unfold on the big screen, with an actor who portrayed him that was so incredibly talented, was an incredible experience. Austin Butler was PHENOMENAL as Elvis. Taking on the role with so much talent. He looks like and sounds just like him and boy, can he sing! At times you almost forgot you were watching an actor PORTRAY Elvis, and not actually watching Elvis Presley on the big screen. So well done.

I didn’t know what to expect from this movie. All I knew is I have loved Elvis since I was young. I didn’t know much about him, but I knew OF him. A few songs. A few movies. But this movie was done so well and took us on a ride of emotions. From the beginning. Elvis growing up with the memory of his twin brother who died at birth. Living on the “wrong side of town” so to speak. Dad was in jail, mom drank a bit too much. But you see how much he loved his mom. And the area he grew up, he got to know gospel, and he loved it. He was drawn to it. Music was in his blood. As he started to perform, it seemed the “wiggle” came from nerves. People made fun of him. He started to move his body. Those dance moves would get him into a heap of trouble, he feared it would put him in jail. But his fans LOVED it. You see him grow into the musician, and get frustrated when the critics tried to change him. He just wanted to make music. And he used his voice to say what he wanted to say, and he couldn’t sing if he couldn’t dance.

You see a world where everybody wanted a piece of him and you see his generosity. Wanting to take care of his mother. Getting her that pink cadillac. Graceland.

You see him fall in love with Priscilla. Have a daughter – Lisa Marie. But the fame was too much. Colonel Parker wanted Elvis for himself. The more successful Elvis was the better off the Colonel was. No matter the expense.

You get to see a different side of the fame for Elvis. You see the sadness and heartbreak as he loses the woman he loved the most in the world – first his mothers death, and then Priscilla walking away because the fame took her husband away. The drugs took over as the shows got to be too much for him. He was exhausted and running on empty – drugs to help him sleep and drugs to get him on stage.

You feel the emotions of what that must have been like. We saw the “King” on stage. Sequined jump suits. Big smile. Big voice. We didn’t see what was going on for him behind the scenes. It really is heartbreaking.

I loved the end of the movie where they share actual footage of Elvis. A stage performance, home movie footage.

Despite reading some bad reviews on this movie, I thought it was an incredible insight into a man that was so talented, but taken advantage of in the worst ways. A man that loved music and loved his fans, but because of situations and circumstances and people, was so controlled and abused with medication/drugs – that he lost himself, people he loved and what he loved about the music in the first place.

I saw a side of a super star that we didn’t get to know in the real world. Sadness. Heartbreak. Deception. The struggles of wanting to do something that brings you joy, but being molded to fit something else, in the name of money and fame at his expense. Some criticize the role Tom Hanks plays. But I think that’s the point. You are supposed to be angry, frustrated and unhappy with “Colonel Tom Parker”. You are supposed to hate his role, his accent, his behavior. And I do think the real power of this movie, is seeing how much of an influence the Colonel was to Elvis. How much he manipulated to get what HE needed. It never seemed to be to the benefit of Elvis himself. It wasn’t about what he wanted. As long as he was making the Colonel money and helping HIM get out of debt. That’s what was incredibly sad.

A beautiful movie. I absolutely loved it. Austin Butler was INCREDIBLE. Tom Hanks played the role perfectly, even narrating the story. I would see it again and again. It’s brought back my love of Elvis. The music. The songs I had almost forgotten about.

Go see it. And let me know if you do. Totally worth the admission.

cbuchanan@blackburnmedia.ca