The unique vision of Baz Luhrmann/Catherine Martin adapts well to the Elvis story, with its low rent, tin pan origins (carnivals, appropriated culture, hayrides), and high rent kitsch (Vegas). Austin Butler does fine in an impossible role. He mimics Elvis as well as I guess anyone can - but he's not the real thing and isn't as charismatic. But then no one can.
Tom Hanks' make up takes getting used to. I never did. He's always a cartoon. Richard Roxbrough and Helen Thompson score strongly as Elvis' parents.
The research felt wikipedia deep in terms of script - not in production design. It kind of is about the Colonel and Elvis but then the Colonel takes a step back for slabs of running time and it becomes about the beauty of Dacre Montgomery - and then Luke Bracey gets all these close ups as one of Elvis' gang (though he doesn't do anything). Priscilla is in there, worried, and that's it - no cheating on Elvis with the karate instructor in this one, but I know they needed .
Bright, bubbly, a spectacle. It got wearying after a while. This needed an intermission more than Australia did.
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