By: Ali Habous
One might wonder why make a movie about the famous meeting between Rock & Roll legend Elvis Presley and President Richard Nixon? Is it worth a trip to the movie theater to check this one out or is it more of a couch movie to enjoy with your family or friends? “Elvis & Nixon” is not one of those movies released in several thousand theaters and projected to make millions of dollars; it is a small and intimate film about a certain moment in time and the little interesting events leading up to it.
The movie is about Elvis Presley trying very hard to get a meeting with the president in order to convince him that he should be a federal agent at large to help with the drug problem plaguing the community. There is an obvious lack of substance throughout the movie and no sense of purpose behind the whole scenario, but surprisingly the filmmakers are very much aware of that and they offer something else to keep the audience entertained and interested in this unique affair.
The screenplay is often very funny and straight forward, merging the seriousness of the politicians in the white house with the humor and silliness of the visiting musicians, which comes across amusing and entertaining. However, this one is to be seen mainly for the talented cast. The supporting actors include Alex Pettyfer (I am Number Four), Johnny Knoxville (Jackass), and Colin Hanks (The House Bunny), the trio are all game here and they give decent if not shiny performances.
Now moving on to the main course….Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey. Those two award-winning actors are largely recognized as two of the best actors working today and as expected they don’t disappoint in this one. Michael Shannon looks nothing like Elvis Presley and the same applies to Kevin Spacey playing President Nixon, but who cares when they are so good at playing both those iconic figures in the 1960s? Both of them are clearly having a good time here and they do it very effortlessly and naturally so it is fairly easy for the audience to jump on board and join them in their contagious fun.
All in all, this is not a film where you should ask yourself at the end questions like “Then what?” or “What is the purpose of what just happened?”, this one is not about the destination, it’s about the fun to be had at every turn of a bizarre ride with an amusing script and two great actors inviting you to enjoy your time in their company.
Rating: 7/10
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