A brave effort that (mostly) works
Film critic Jason Evans is on a mission to tell you
everything you need to know about movies faster than you can say, “Elvis has
left the building.” His reviews are exactly 100 words long (99 is not enough
but 101 is too much). Here is his 100-word review of Elvis.
The Premise: Acclaimed director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby) brings us the life of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) as told by his longtime manager, Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The film begins with Parker discovering Elvis shortly after the singer released his first album with a small music label. Though the music and Elvis’ superstardom play a key role in the story, much of what we see is Elvis’ relationships with his parents, his wife, and African-American blues legend BB King (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). The movie also shows Elvis’ intersection with key cultural changes happening in American in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
The 100 Words: Luhrmann is prone to directorial excess and Elvis’
larger-than-life story lends itself to his worst inclinations. The film did not
need to be 160 minutes and is full of quick cuts and split screens that leave
the audience dizzy. To make matters worse, Hanks is buried under so much makeup
that he gives an unbalanced and unlikable performance. But, Butler’s energy combines
with the captivating mythology of Elvis’ career to somehow save the whole thing.
I was mesmerized by Butler at times. Elvis fans will adore it and those uninitiated
to the King may also find a lot to like.
Comments
Post a Comment