Elvis & Nixon review: “Funny and thoughtful.”

Elvis & Nixon review: Not a sequel to Frost/Nixon, but the bizarre ‘true’ tale of when two icons met.

Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley were quite the characters. Both over-the-top but highly respected in their own way they have become quite the staple of mockery and imitation over the years. It wouldn’t be too far out there to suggest that most people these days are exposed to a recreation of the individual before they learn about the historical figure. Whether it be Nixon’s floating severed head in Futurama or Jack White’s bizarrely hilarious turn in Walk Hard: A Dewey Cox Story. They’ve been conscripted into bizarre timelines where Elvis has fought an evil Egyptian mummy, and where Nixon has overseen a country filled with people with mutant powers, and masked vigilantes being outlawed. So the fact these two figures actually met behind closed doors with a very famous photograph as proof, it lends itself well to imaginative screenwriters as to what actually went on in the oval office.

It’s December 21st 1971, and a disillusioned Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) is at a loss with the country he loves. There are vietnam protests, race riots, and drugs on the street. Deciding he needs to do something about this, he approaches President Richard Nixon, asking to be made a Federal Agent at Large. With the help of his friends Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer) and Sonny West (Johnny Knoxville) Elvis attempts to make contact, but with a stubborn and incredulous Nixon (Kevin Spacey) failing to see what good a meeting with The King could do, it’s up to his aides Egil Krogh (Colin Hanks) and Dwight Chapin (Evan Peters) to convince him.

The main focus of the film is of course the two central performances. The roles of Elvis and Nixon are so easy to slip into parody that one must tread a very fine line. Frost/Nixon saw Frank Langella give an incredibly subtle performance of Nixon, while Dan Hedaya gave a great comedic role in Dick. Spacey is quite possibly the best cinematic Nixon yet. He has fine comic timing and emits a stubbornness and insecurity that makes him unsettlingly likable. His intonation and mannerisms are all on point and for such a huge star as Spacey to completely vanish in the role really says a lot. Shannon is a more unhinged and sympathetic Elvis, forever making us feel the pain of fame and question how it may affect certain people. Shannon’s distinctive face may never quite morph the actor into The King, but he gradually wins us over with an emotional performance. Shannon’s features actually help to show an Elvis where the myth is bigger than the man, where even impersonators fail to recognise their icon.

Liza Johnson’s direction is very restrained, but also gloriously timed. She allows the absurdity of the situation to take precedent, while the actors performances work so well together she has the foresight to let things play out. That’s not to say things are stilted or too similar to a play. The dialogue may be biting, satirical, and sharp, but Johnson also takes us to other great moments, such as Elvis at the airport trying to board with a gun, Elvis entering a regular donut parlour, and Elvis showing up unannounced at the White House gates. Nixon meanwhile is kept in his office and work orientated. These choices show how uncomfortable Elvis is in the real world and how insular Nixon is.

At a shorter than 90 minute runtime, Elvis & Nixon is a quick and enjoyable watch. It’s funny and thoughtful, as well as a good character study that is filled with very worthwhile supporting roles. But what it all comes down to is the leads who are an absolute triumph, and although the film has a cute central premise, it doesn’t have a lasting resonance. More of a whimsical wondering as to what may have gone on, this is very smart entertainment all the same. A fantastic recreation of the period and great attention to detail results in a film that may not leave you all shook up, but will certainly have you smiling.

Elvis & Nixon review by Luke Ryan Baldock, June 2016.

Elvis & Nixon is released in cinemas from 24th June.