Sofia Coppola directs the story of Priscilla Presley from the age of 14 to 26.
The film is based on Priscilla’s book: ‘Elvis and Me’, so the source material is, at least, seemingly authentic and shows a previously unseen side to this part of the story.
I never saw Baz Luhmann’s recent Elvis and if you gave me the choice I’m always betting on Sofia Coppolla over Baz.
Elvis gets the money and the glitz and Priscilla gets the unflashy treatment and consequently is probably more real.
Cailee Spaeny plays Priscilla
What did I think?
What did I feel?
At first I thought and felt, she is very young, how can this be ok? but as the film progressed you get to see her journey and experience through young Priscilla’s eyes.
Coppola gives us a version of events that show Priscilla falling in love and feeling like the centre of attention all the way to being sidelined in the circus that was the life of Elvis and all that came with it.
Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi in Priscilla
Cailee Spaeny is fantastic as Priscilla.
I believe her. She is, for the most part, fully connected to the role.
I first saw her in the Alex Garland’s excellent Devs and then in Mare of Easttown and she is going to be featured in Alex Garland’s new film Civil War later in the year, which looks VERY interesting.
She was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for this performance and definitely deserves the nod.
Jacob Elordi gives another great performance after his modern day aristocrat with a cut glass English accent in Saltburn, this time sounding like ….. ‘the king’.
I like it when accents are attempted* and even better when they work.
(*I’m looking at you, Joaquin).
Also starring Dagmara Domińczyk, who was brilliant in Succession and the recent comedy film, Bottoms, here playing Priscilla’s conflicted mother, Anne.
Cailee Spaeny in Priscilla
The film belongs to Cailee though, she gives a layered performance from young girl to young woman.
Priscilla was 14 when she first met Elvis, was 21 when they got married, 22 when she had Lisa Marie and then 26 when she finally left Elvis.
The film charts the journey of her life with Elvis from 1959 to 1972 and Cailee gives everything to the role and will be and is being lauded as deserved.
The music choices in the film are pure Sofia, she has a punk rock aesthetic.
Her hand was forced by the Elvis estate who didn’t give permission to use songs by ‘the King’ and consequently she gets her creative on and her choices are eclectic and brilliant.
We get Alice Coltrane, The Ramones, Frankie Avalon, Brenda Lee and the Righteous Brothers and a brilliant use of ‘I Will Always Love You’ by Dolly Parton.
By not using Elvis’ music we get to focus much more on Priscilla. This is a good thing. His songs would probably have gotten in the way and maybe sucked all the air out of the screen.
Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and Sofia Coppola on the set of Priscilla
The film never really leans into the emotional highs of the story and that’s definitely a conscious director’s decision. Again, unflashy and embued with a welcome unsentimentally.
The film was well directed, performed and presented.
Cailee is proving herself to be an actor of great talent and I loved how gentle the film was by treating the subjects with warmth and compassion and leaving all judgements at the door, where they belong.
What a journey it must have been for her and we are lucky that Sofia Coppola has given us a version of this story.
Distributed by A24 and Stage 6 Films and released in Australia on 18th January 2024.
114 Minutes
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