Elvis

Baz Luhrmann writes and directs what is, surprisingly, the first big screen biopic of the life of Elvis Presley. Austin Butler is given the task of bringing Elvis to the screen as we see his life told through the eyes of his long time manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). We meet Parker first as a showmen with a traveling carnival and his discovery of a young Presley. It then explores Parker’s influence on Presley’s life and career. Elvis’s career peaks and troughs and how decisions were made by those whose livelihoods depended on his continued performances rather for his own benefit. Through to his untimely death at 42.

The story is told through something similar to a 160 minute montage connected by Parker’s recollections. Luhrmann excels at telling stories in this way and what seems all shiny surface is consistently injected with heart and emotion.

Telling the story through Parker’s eyes helps the montage style flow as we flit between the moments that he felt were key in Elvis’s life. Hank’s likeable screen presence is also important as it helps making Parker, who could easily be a comic book villain, be someone more nuanced. Someone who is believable in his claims he did things for Elvis’s good rather than his own.

Alongside Hank’s is an excellent performance from Butler who while not looking like Presley, brings his presence to the screen and draws you into this crazy world. From cleverly teased first appearance, through the sad journey to his inevitable end.

Alongside Hank’s and Butler are good performances from those close to Presley Olivia DeJonge (Priscilla Presley), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (B.B King) and Richard Roxburgh and Helen Thomson as his parents.

Luhrmann’s telling of this story seems like it’s all surface but what it did for me was introduce me to things I didn’t know, his career lows, how the times he lived in impacted him and how he was sadly used by those closest. Built on a great performance by Butler it is an intriguing delve into the life of “The King”.