An eye-opening spectacle of the life of an icon.
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Baz Lurhmann (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby) makes a long-awaited return to the director’s chair with Elvis, a musical biography based on the life of the late great King of Rock and Roll.
Elvis chronicles the life and career of singer and actor Elvis Presley, from his early days as a child to becoming a rock and roll star and movie star, as well as his complex relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker–who narrates the film.
The trials and tribulations of Elvis’ claim to fame are put on grand display, a spectacle that’s nothing short of hyperbolic sequences and dazzling colours, in true Lurhmann style.
Starring in the titular role is Austin Butler with Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks taking on his first villainous role as Parker, donning a fat suit that makes the lovable actor almost unrecognisable and easier to loathe. The film also features Helen Thomson as Elvis’ mother Gladys, an underutilised Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’ father Vernon, and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley.
Butler, with his phenomenal transformation, delivers one of the best biopic performances ever as the iconic rockstar. His monumental work in the film is a rare instance where a lesser-known actor outshines a veteran–in this case, surpassing Hanks.
The biopic may have carefully left out the much darker controversial side of Elvis's life but it’s still an eye-opening insight for audiences who know his name but aren’t familiar with his story. If anything, Elvis reassures fans that his name will continue to live on forevermore.
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