Rent Elvis (2022)

Overlong, Overwritten Meandering Biopic Which is Riddled with the Race Politics of Now - Elvis review by PV

For those who want to watch a biopic of Elvis, ignore this - which reflects the obsessions of our age (BLM, race etc) and return to a better time with the 2005 TV miniseries - I'd give that 5 stars. Or the 1990 film documentary. OR the 2016 excellent film ELVIS AND NIXON which shows Elvis's loyal Republican political leanings.

I am not great fan of the films of Baz Luhrmann so if you like Strictly Ballroom etc you'll probably like this. Full of theatrics and style, rather than substance - as with early scenes of Elvis in a gospel church which never happened. As I said, watch the 2005 TV miniseries to see a truth-based drama. NO SPOIILERS but I hated the ending and boy, does this movie DRAG!

Beware: this biopic plays fast and loose with the truth in many ways. Worst of all it perpetuates the claim that 'white people stole black music' when the musical truth is the other way round - the blues and rock n roll came from British folk music and the UK oral hymn tradition, which even has blue notes and call and response like gospel - watch the excellent Howard Goodall series on music for evidence. To that was added in the Memphis triangle some African rhythms. But then all pop music is written in 'equal temperament' (doh ray mee) discovered by white European monks almost 1000 years ago.

It is criminal to leave out of this story the white Jewish boys Lieber and Stoller who wrote a great many of the early Elvis hits - Jailhouse Rock, AND Hound Dog - yes, it was sung by a black woman first BUT it was written by 2 white men. Carl Perkins (white male) wrote Blue Suede Shoes, and so on. Fact. I know my songwriters! This film;s obsession with modern BLM racial politics is depressing - I detest the modern demands for segregation and endless race fixation from these groups. It;s divisive and causes conflict.

SO if that 30-50 minutes were shaved off this flabby bloated film it could be a half-decent biopic. At way less than 2 hours 20 minutes.

Elvis like Michael Jackson came from a poor family and the fame and wealth knocked him off his perch - as they say, he got what he wanted, but lost what he had..

The music is great when original 1950s/60s/70s (the modern rap versions are AWFUL!) . Are You Lonesome Tonight was also written by 2 white guys in 1926; and If I Can Dream lyrics were written by a white guy working on the tech crew of the Elvis Comeback special in 1968.

It's also well-known Elvis had a heart condition inherited from his mother - who died from it young too, not drinking. watch the very last concerts of Elvis where he is babbling - that is a classic symptom of arrhythmia which I have seen myself in elderly people. Yes. Elvis took pills but that is one factor alone in his decline.

But a movie needs backstory and baddies, so the manager Dutchman gets it here BUT he is an interesting character and Hanks does well; the actor playing Elvis does too and esp the one playing the wonderful Little Richard. Would Elvis have had his success without 'Parker' as manager? Maybe not. Then if no Elvis, would there have been a Beatles? Easy to blame the manager.

HOWEVER,. far better to watch the real thing - see Elvis's 1973 Hawaii concert on YoutTube or similar; his 1968 comeback special; and the Little Richard archive. I hate tribute acts in general.

I wanted to watch a movie about Elvis, not a preachy sermon about race - if I wanted that, I'd go to church. I hate all these pc woke preachy lecturing movies. Since around 2016 or so, it seems all movies are now like this. I shall watch the archive then. Thank goodness we have it.

WHEN the movie focuses on Elvis, his adoration of his mother, his dead twin brother Jessie, his clueless business manager dad (well acted), and the manipulative Colonel Tom Parker it is great. The other stuff about race, which is so political, weakens the story of Elvis the man and Elvis the superstar (who by the way was blue-eyed blond - he dyed his hair black in adulthood).

So 2 stars.

Yoo long, bloated and boring - Elvis review by WM

This film was confused as to the focus - it appeared to be as much about Colonel Parker as about Elvis.

It did not work on a number of levels and for a variety of reasons.

Too long, bloated, and boring.

Avoid.

Despite Butler's stratospheric performance, this film is as bloated as Elvis's eventual waistline - Elvis review by Timmy B

Baz Luhrmann is truly cinematic marmite. His style, which is never boring & extremely distinctive, has as many admirers as it does detractors. My own view of him is equally as mixed: Moulin Rouge is a flat-out masterpiece, pretty much perfect & completely brilliant in terms of its execution & look, as well as it's musical numbers/wild experimentation of musical styles; William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet is another great film, although I did feel that it was a little overlong & frequently meandering; then finally The Great Gatsby which was actually fairly unwatchable & I gave up on, despite the pedigree casting.

But when I heard he was directing an Elvis biopic, I was actually quite excited, as this sounded like the perfect project for Luhrmann to put his stamp on: one of the most influential, larger than life entertainers the world has ever seen, who's influence not only affected music but even subjects as controversial as politics & race. Also, the massive back catalogue of Presley's music would be rich pickings for Luhrmann. But this is another big misfire in so many ways.

However, it cannot be overstated just how incredible Austin Butler is as Presley. This is a chameleonic, Daniel Day-Lewis level performance, with not one element ever feeling forced or even acted. Especially towards the end, when footage of the real Presley is spliced in with Butler's performance, you realise the masterclass in acting that you are witnessing. If Butler continues on this trajectory, we are in the presence of the next De Niro or Ledger.

But the sheer power of his performance is a completely double edged sword: Butler is so good, so perfect & so flawless, the rest of the film and especially it's shortcomings are just completely exposed. And where to begin with them.

For a start, this film is far, far too long; an obscenely bloated & never-ending slogfest. At one point I paused it to use the facilities, thinking that it was relatively near to the end: it still had over 50 minutes left & I was half-tempted to turn it off. Also, as a film it is really poorly written. Our "guide" through this movie is Colonel Tom Parker, Presley's manager & the source of significant controversy, due to multiple allegations of his exploiting & mismanaging Presley/his vast fortune. The film for the lion's share of it almost seems to be a way to try to rehabilitate his reputation, although it must be noted that later on this pretense is dropped.

But Parker is shown as such an extreme caricature that you never enjoy his company & he starts to affect the viewing. I can see why Hanks was cast, to try & make him in some way likeable, but not even he can turn this ship around.

And finally, for me, as much as lots of ground is covered in terms of events in Presley's life, not much sticks. If you asked me now to name the most impactful moment of Elvis's life from this film, I'd struggle to pick one that really resonated, despite many of them that were thrown on screen.

Some people will absolutely love this film, whether for the large amount of musical experimentation, or the huge budget being used to incredible affect in realising the world that Elvis existed in (and to be clear, the film visually is stunning, which is a given for a Luhrmann picture.) But I just didn't connect with it really at all, which is a shame given my love for Moulin Rouge.

See it for Butler but not much else.