TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 // A REVIEW OF "ELVIS & NIXON"
Surely, one of the most ridiculous stories in both Elvis Presley & Richard Nixon's life is the story on how they met, famously, at the White House. When Elvis wanted to be deputized. It certainly is a story that's stranger than fiction, and what was exactly said in the room where it happened is only known to a handful of people. But even though the exact contents of the meeting are unknown, we know that it DID happen, thanks to a very famous picture of the two of them together. So what did happen? ELVIS & NIXON take this story on, not trying to tell exactly what happened, but tells a tale of what would have been a fun journey if it did happen this way.
Michael Shannon hilariously stars as Elvis, even though he doesn't quite look the part or even sound the part. It just sort of works, thanks to his full commitment towards it. He's supremely weird, very full of himself and self-absorbed. From him charming anyone that he comes in contact with to him shooting his TV to pieces, THIS is the Elvis of the 70's. He and his cohort Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer) show up at The White House because Elvis has a dream to be a "Federal Agent-At-Large" and he wants President Nixon to deputize him. They're not let in, so Elvis leaves a note and they shack up at a local hotel. And wait. He's willing to wait as long as it takes until Nixon (played perfectly here by Kevin Spacey) sees him and deputizes him. If this didn't actually happen in real life, you would think this film was a farce, a far fetched one at that. But it did happen, and just goes to show you how truth can often be much stranger than fiction.
Both Shannon and Spacey are clearly having the time of their lives playing these larger than life characters. Alex Pettyfer gives reliable and strong support, Johnny Knoxville shows up and hams it up wonderfully, and Colin Hanks and Tate Donovan are wonderfully bewildered. But the real show is Shannon and Spacey, and when the meeting finally happens, it's a golden gem. This is a strange movie. A strange movie for a strange meeting and it just works. It's not perfect. It's not an instant classic. But it sure is fun.
WRITTEN BY Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal, & Cary Elwes DIRECTED BY Liza Johnson STARRING Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Colin Hanks, Johny Knoxville, Evan Peters, Tate Donovan.
MATEO'S VERDICT: SEE IT.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A rollicking, fun time with two scene stealing performances.