Elvis Presley is a name as quintessential to the history of American music as Abraham Lincoln is to American politics. Iconic men, larger than life, and captivating both to those who knew them (be it out of love or hate) and the countless millions of those who look back on their legacy (also out of love or hate). Referred to by many as “The King of Rock and Roll”, both his music and the image he cultivated onstage ensured his place not only in popular culture but as a milestone in modern music. Hailed as a hero and mocked as a clown, Elvis has been the subject of both urban legends and parodies, both in life and well after his death. Even today, one cannot walk down the Vegas strip without seeing the many impersonators and neon-studded tributes to “The King”.

Directed by Baz Lurhmann (known for equally stylized films like Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby), the story is mostly told from the perspective of Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), Elvis’s crooked manager. Rising out of poverty in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, Elvis (Adam Butler) finds both joy and inspiration in the music of his African American friends and neighbors. He frequents the predominately black Beale Street in Memphis, where he discovers a “who’s who” of legendary musicians like Arthur Crudup, Little Richard, Big Mama Thorton, and B.B. King. Building on the tunes that defined the sound of the South, Elvis’s music electrified the entire country and in doing so, made him one of the most famous and influential rockstars of all time.
Laudably, the film shows the tremendous extent to which his music was influenced by the works of African American artists. The entire genre of rock and roll owes its existence not only to black performers but also to their experiences in a nation that treated them as second-class citizens. On very few occasions, if any, has this basic acknowledgment been made when retelling Elvis’s story, much less the broader story of rock music. On that note, I find it particularly admirable that the movie’s soundtrack incorporates modern music genres with the contemporary songs of the 1950s. While some might find hip-hop too distracting in this story, it serves the film well by showcasing the impact Elvis had on the music industry.
Overall, Elvis is about as good as Hollywood can get in recreating the life of “The King.” this film is a fantastic attempt at balancing kitsch with a sincere human-interest story. Rather than play to simply bring in Elvis fans, the music is organically woven into a larger story. When telling a musician’s story, it’s important to show what the music says about the musician. When telling the story of a musician like Elvis Presley, it’s important not only to show what made him so beloved but why his short presence on this earth left such an enduring impression on so many people.