Priscilla

For the past 24 hours, I’ve been thinking a lot about “Priscilla”. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to write about this one and finally came to a verdict. So get ready cause this review might be a little long. “Priscilla” follows teenage Priscilla Beaulieu, who meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments. 

If you’ve been following me for a while you would know that I adore Baz Luhrmann’s take on Elvis. “Priscilla” was one of my most anticipated films this year and I entered the theater extremely excited. When the credits rolled, it took me a while to leave the theater because it was such a suffocating and overstuffed experience. I have to praise Coppola’s approach to the story here even if there is one problem that I’ll get to it later in my review. It’s delicately and gently told and that’s one thing I love about Coppola’s direction. She gives the utmost care and respect to the character that you can’t help but appreciate it. The film explored the toxic relationship between Elvis and Priscilla that was hidden by Elvis' fame and now I know why the Elvis estate wasn't keen on the film. The movie greatly juggled the themes of fame, loneliness, control, and the female gaze. On that thought, I have to praise the cinematography here. There’s an undeniable beauty here in every frame and so much thought is put into every single one of them. The film’s smart use of visual storytelling is what makes it so good yet suffocating. For example, the height difference between Priscilla and Elvis seen at the beginning of the film, and the void and emptiness seen whenever Priscilla is roaming the Elvis estate make for a very lonely atmosphere. All of this greatness couldn’t have been achieved without the help of the mise en scene. Everything from the amazing set designs to the make-up/hair on Elvis and Priscilla made for a visually pleasing film. Before we move on I have to praise the make-up/hair department. They did a phenomenal job at making Spaeny look 14 then look 22 and Elvis evolving into his persona. As of today, this is the best make-up/hair I’ve seen in 2023, and hope that they win an Oscar for their amazing work.

Now let’s discuss the one major issue I have with “Priscilla”. The third act was a letdown in my opinion. It felt rushed and felt a bit too disjointed from the rest of the film’s structure. I would have liked to know more about Priscilla’s own life after Elvis goes to Vegas and what friends or lovers she made. The movie also ended abruptly and that’s a thing that I despise. Last but not least, let's talk about these performances. Cailee Spaeny gives a behemoth of a performance in her role as Priscilla. She completely lost herself in the role and greatly portrayed Priscilla at different ages. What took me by surprise here was Jacob Elordi’s performance as Elvis. When they first announced his casting, I was skeptical and yesterday I saw the best portrayal of Elvis. He has the looks and the voice of him and wished we had more of him. Despite that, I do think that Elordi’s performance overshadowed Spaeny’s phenomenal performance. Finally, I would like to praise the score. In a film about “Priscilla,” you’d expect to hear a couple of Elvis songs and Coppola wasn’t able to secure the rights and I couldn’t be any happier. The score here is quite sensational and greatly fits the themes as well as Priscilla’s story arc. If some of his songs were used it would have taken away from some of its themes and overall message. I really recommend watching this great biopic despite the final act and ending being underwhelming and rushed.  Nothing can really prepare you for this experience and this proves why it's one of the best biopics of the year.