Elvis & Nixon
More Heartbreak Hotel than White House Rock
The acting from the impressive male leads is what boosts this film. You can’t help falling in love with their performances as apart from the twinkling presences they both radiate, I feel this film goes down a bonkers route about a seriously odd meeting in a way that’s less dominating than it should be.
Before I saw the trailer I was all shook up because I had no idea that this meeting ever took place, something I’m sure Elvis Presley would be glad about. He wanted it to be a secret. I’m glad I’ve seen this movie for its absurd yet educational style.
Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) sees himself as an anti drugs mentor for the youth. He wants to have a meeting with the President involving a little less conversation to get a badge and become an agent at large. POTUS Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey) is against the idea but soon realises this meeting could prove popular and so, on December 21st 1970, these two famous men meet.
It could be called a biopic but no recordings of the incident took place so who's to say to what extent this movie takes cinematic liberties. The film kind of feels like the devil in disguise in a few places, whether it’s the style over substance or the slow pacing, which is a shame considering the high quality acting.
Michael Shannon dons a wig and shades in a convincing manner to portray the King of Rock and Roll. He has the hand gestures down to an art and makes Elvis come alive in a charismatic teddy bear kind of way, even if there’s a couple of occasions where he looks oddly cheap. Kevin Spacey is perfect as Nixon; with the jowly gravelly tone of voice and hunched crossed arm poses, he does a stellar job as the President.
Liza Johnson does a great job in building up the anticipation. We see Presley and Nixon at various times separately, we see the men that aid them and we sort of sit forward waiting for the inevitable meeting to take place. There is no grand or even rewarding pay off by the end of this film - the Oval Office scene between these American powerhouses makes me want to return this film to sender.
Not as fascinating as I hoped, Elvis certainly enters the building with swagger but a meeting like this comes across more Heartbreak Hotel than White House Rock.
6/10
