Eric W.

3 and a half stars. 3 and a half stars. ZERO mention at all of the Jordanaires, or his visit with Nixon, or his late night post-show gospel singing around the piano in his Las Vegas suite with all his backup singers, or his best selling Grammy winning gospel album. He was the guy who bridged black music to white America. The 1st part of the movie does well to emphasize this point. But his background in gospel music is tremendously underreported. His personal physician in his last years was Dr. Nick, an abomination of a physician whose character needed to be much better fleshed out in the movie. Elvis (and Priscilla) don't age correctly in the movie. And what about the Karate influence in his later years that so visibly affected the wardrobes of the Las Vegas shows? Again, zero mention or explanation. In the end analysis, it is "an entertaining story based on..." rather than a documentary. It is a good cautionary tale to any young people about what to expect if you aim to enter most any avenue of show business. Separate from the movie.... Elvis was a larger than life talent and a stunningly attractive young man, who was the unduplicatable perfect storm of gospel, country, this new music called Rock n Roll and a time in USA history. He was driven into an early grave by his absolute parasite of a manager "Colonel" Tom Parker, with the assistance of the entire entourage around him. Truly may he rest in deserved peace.

The CONSTRUCTION of the movie was good. Not every movie has to have a car chase or a gun fight. The writer/ director/ whatever understands subtlety, and I love that. But I just couldn't get past the facts of what was being presented: Old rich guy and bored young hottie cross paths, and become smitten with each other in the moment. I feel bad for her husband! Young lady, I'm sorry that he's not around much to entertain you, but he's a young man in the process of building his/your estate and empire! The old guy you meet in the bar, who is making $2 million to shoot a whiskey commercial in 10 days?.... yeah he has time to entertain you. DUH! He's in a different stage of life... he's made his money.... It kills me that this is the message that so many women take to heart, that "he" needs to be a good money earner yet also have all this free time to simply entertain her. That is simply NOT how it works in the real world (unless he's a firefighter, because they make full time salary, benefits, and retirement for part time work. But that's a different rant for a different space). So the movie? Just.... aggravating. 2 stars.