Shakespeare said, “The world is a stage, and we must each play a part.” In the music industry, the person who has played the most critical part is Elvis Presley, who is still the No. 1 best-selling single artist in the world despite his untimely death more than 45 years ago.
“Elvis,” the biopic movie of the singer’s life, illuminates why Elvis is still considered the king of rock ‘n’ roll.
The film explores the life of Elvis Presley from his musical beginnings through a rocky road of fame, fortune and expectations that came to an early end with his death at age 42.
The movie takes a unique approach, as viewers are told the story of Elvis through the eyes of his manager Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks, with whom Elvis had a very difficult relationship. Following the pair’s complicated partnership over 20 years of Elvis performing and creating music, the film shows Parker dictating the singer’s every move, overworking him and eventually leading him to substance abuse issues.
Portraying Elvis, Austin Butler makes audiences, both within the movie and within the real-life audience, fall in love with him as soon as he appears on the scene. Elvis Presley, who is truly one of a kind, can be seen as a difficult person to convey on screen due to his powerful presence and worldwide fame from his first hit in 1954 to this day. However, words cannot begin to describe the incredible performance Butler did within this movie. Butler is the embodiment of Presley and truly brought this character to life on the big screen.
Not only does Butler look almost identical to Elvis Presley, he captured his unique speaking and singing voice, his controversial pelvis-thrusting dance moves, and his passion for music. Butler, who is known for making cameos in children’s shows on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, as well as small appearances on shows such as “Switched At Birth,” truly took the world by storm and showcased his incredible talent by taking on this iconic role.
On top of Butler’s mind-blowing performance, Tom Hanks once again knocked his performance out of the park. Hanks is the type of actor who seems to always be able to fully capture his roles and perform outstandingly. Here he captures the villainous aspects of the Colonel as he destroys Presley’s life. Butler portrays the essence of The Colonel so well audiences are sure to feel hatred toward Parker and sorrow for Elvis. Although Hanks is known as “America’s Father,” he truly made audiences hate him in this role as he takes on the persona of a cruel and realistic villain.
The cinematic aspects of this movie are also incredible. I cannot even begin to describe the camera angles that highlighted the emotions Butler showcased portraying just how conflicted Elvis becomes in his career. Sequence changes throughout the movie are also unique as we see the highs and lows of Presley’s life, through his career, friendships, loved ones and the battles he has within himself.
Overall, I feel this movie is a must-see for everyone! It can be enjoyed by people of all ages and illuminates the difficulties that follow fame.
This movie will have you feeling every emotion possible from heartbreak to laughter and will even have you wanting to get up and dance and sing along to classic songs.
Butler’s performance is unmissable, and even if you are not a huge Elvis fan, by the end of this film, you will be wanting more! Check out “Elvis” now playing in select theaters and streaming on HBO Max.