Directed by Academy Award-winning Sofia Coppola, “Priscilla” offers a fresh perspective on the raw, tragic story of the music industry’s most celebrated couple. Starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, the movie was released on October 27, 2023 (the list of theaters expanded November 3) right on the heels of Baz Luhrmann’s successful “Elvis” in 2022. Based off of Priscilla Presley’s novel “Elvis and Me”, the movie follows her whirlwind romance with Elvis Presley in highschool and the crash of their tumultuous marriage.
In the beginning, Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) is obviously presented as a fourteen year old, with youthful bangs and pastel dresses reminiscent of an American Girl Doll. A twenty-four year old Elvis (Jacob Elordi) is immediately fascinated with her naivety, and his first appearance raises a million red flags. Elordi’s height accentuates the power imbalance between the two, and their ‘wholesome’ interactions are blanketed with a sinister undertone. Coppola creates a sense of claustrophobia throughout the entire movie, as Priscilla navigates her new, glamorous life under beehive hairdos and bubble wrap.
It’s a far cry from “Elvis”, where the implications of their age gap are brushed over, and there isn’t as much of a focus on Elvis’s own problematic aspects and destructive behavior. Still, Priscilla focuses on a different story, and neither movie is necessarily wrong.
As for cinematography, the shots are beautiful and rich with emotion. The audience sees an unfiltered Graceland, the Presley estate, from the perspective of a girl who was rarely let out of it. Priscilla is mostly in baby blues and pinks, and the movie picks up when she trades her drab, lonely life for the alluring charm of fancy dresses and bold eye makeup. She walks on eggshells, and the fights between her and Elvis are gut-wrenching and private, with real glimpses into their personal lives.
Spaeny shines in her first title role, with just the right amount of hesitation and awe that you would expect from a teen living out her Wattpad dreams. Elordi—albeit an unconventional looking Elvis—nails the voice and chemistry with Spaeny, and chooses to play a hot-tempered ‘King of Rock and Roll.’
The movie ends up not using any of Elvis’s music, due to licensing disagreements, but it proves to be a blessing rather than a curse. Without as much of a focus on Elvis’s music career, the movie is better able to craft Priscilla’s story and emphasize her as a person.
The first half is strong, setting up Priscilla’s splintering spirit, but the second half of the movie falls flat. Priscilla’s conclusion feels unsatisfactory, and the pacing is rushed, leaving the audience wanting. The ending is sort of empowering, as Priscilla chooses to walk away, but her later life is never explored. The story just stops and ends up feeling superficial, and her character isn’t fully developed.
The movie is a faithful adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s book, but it ends up playing it too safe. Despite this, it’s a gritty, emotional watch fraught with layers, effective in exploring the dynamics of toxic relationships.
3.5/5
