Starting off with the positives, easily, without question, Austin Butler is amazingly cast as Elvis himself. Because he's such an iconic legend in music, Elvis has become a very easy target for many impersonations so I would say he's a very easy person to impersonate but such a difficult character to portray and Austin Butler absolutely embodies the character. He captures his mannerisms, his voice, his body movements without any of it coming off as cheesy or a bad impression. He feels like the character all throughout the film.
I think it also helps that Austin Butler isn't a known actor. I've heard of him but I've never seen him in anything and this is gonna be his breakout role without question. He shows he's got such potential as an actor when you watch this film and you just seen the character. Never once do you think you just see a performance, you see a character achieving his true potential as a megastar and although my brain isn't wired for oscars, Austin Butler is that amazing as Elvis Presley, he is my pick to win best actor as the next oscars.
Another standout is Tom Hanks. Now we know Tom Hanks is an amazing actor, he's been around for so many years and it's easy to forget just how good he is when he's such a iconic actor and he as well disappears into the character of Colonel Tom Parker. It probably helps he's covered in makeup and prosthetics but he gives such an incredible performance, he is my pick for best supporting actor. Again my brain isn't necessarily wired for Oscar's but how can you not think this once you see the main two performances in this film.
I also love that Baz Luhrmann just makes this film his own by injecting so much energy and style to it. It baffles me how a director like him can sign on to a project like this and come out with such an original stylistic format and I feel if any other director tried to do this film, no matter what they'd do, it would feel generic so Baz Luhrmann was just perfect to direct this film.
And luckily, it never feels like style over substance because ultimately this film does capture a lot of heart and emotion all throughout the runtime. When Elvis hits the high points, you feel it but when it hits the emotional low points, my god you feel them even more.
The production is also fantastic. From the set design, to the camera filters, to the costume recreations, you buy this film takes place between the 50s and 70s. Even when you get to the concert scenes, they feel so real, you feel like you're part of the screaming fans in the film.
Now I've hears a lot of criticism for choosing to tell the story of the film by focusing on Tom Parkers perspective but for me, that was a clever choice of storytelling because not only does it help Tom Hanks portray such a despicable character but it also helps root for the character of Elvis and want him to succeed.
And my final positive for this film is because of the high energetic concert scenes, the music stays in your head and urges you to listen to his Elvis's music after seeing the film or at least that has been my experience. I saw this film on Friday and the day after I started listening to his music and I haven't been able to stop.
However this isn't a perfect film so let's move onto the mixed aspects of the film. Now like I said, I love how stylistic this film is as it gives the film its own flavour but I am overall mixed over it because it does get a bit much at times. Half hour into the film, I already felt exhausted and still had a long way to go.
Now it's time for the negatives and don't worry, I don't have many at all but I do have to be honest.
This film is at least 20 minutes too long. It's 2 hours and 40 minutes long and by the 2 hour and 10 minute mark, I started to feel the film dragging on a bit. I think if it was tightened by 20 minutes, this would have been an almost perfect film.
Finally, (told you I didn't have many) and just to clarify this is a me thing but because of everything I said regarding the films style and runtime, I don't think this is a very rewatchable film. I can't see myself watching this film again for a long time now. I wouldn't be opposed but if I had the choice between this or another film I enjoy but of a lesser quality, I'm more than likely to go for the latter because its an easier watch.
But overall this is an incredible film that has so much award potential from the performances, to the screenplay, maybe even to the production. Austin Butler delivers a career defining performance and Baz Luhrmann could even get a best director nomination. I will even go as far to say this is the best made film of the year and I wouldn't argue if this was someone's favourite film of the year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
