Elvis review: Austin Butler perfectly embodies the king of rock and roll in new biopic
Butler nails the moves, the mannerisms, the voice and somehow even channels Elvis's
charisma. When girls scream at him in the film's electrifying musical sequences, you wonder how much acting was required.
Surprisingly, the film is as much about his scheming manager Colonel Tom Parker as the rock 'n' roll pioneer.
It is Parker (Tom Hanks) who talks us through Elvis's formative years in a black
neighbourhood in Mississippi, where he wiggles his hips when taken by the spirit of the Lord at a Revivalist church meeting.
Parker knows nothing about music but he knows plenty about making money.
When he sees Elvis perform for the first time (and hears those ecstatic screams), you can see dollar signs light up in his eyes.
But then a furore erupts over Elvis's ungodly gyrations and, during a brush with the
authorities, Parker fears secrets from his own past could be exposed.