Priscilla is the latest film from director Sofia Coppola. The story, based on the memoir Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley follows teenage Priscilla Beaulieu as she meets superstar Elvis Presley and falls in love with him. I can’t say that I was particularly excited for this. The talent intrigued me; however the premise & style really didn’t. 5 minutes in, I knew I was in for something profoundly creative and it didn’t stop until the credits rolled.

Growing up, I only really knew of Elvis Presley through his music and filmography. It’s no doubt that he has left behind quite the legacy; however, no one is without their flaws and this film tackles it in a big way. But I don’t want to get into Elvis, because it’s really Priscilla that this film is about.

I actually didn’t know as much as I thought I did before seeing this film. So much happens in the film that I had to look it up afterwards just to make sure it was real. What really struck a cord with me in the first five minutes is how they present Priscilla to Elvis. It is extremely disturbing how she meets Elvis. An older couple, not to mention strangers, convinces Priscilla’s parents to come meet the singer. What happens next had me shook.

Cailee Spaeny portrays the titular character, while her counterpart Jacob Elordi portrays Elvis. It’s when the two meet for the first time is when I was shocked and knew that the film was going to be burned into my brain. As Priscilla meets Elvis for the first time, she mentions that she is a freshman in high school, yet Elvis is not put off by this as he tries to tell her that he feels comfortable talking to her and talking to her is nice because of how homesick he is. It paints a very disturbing image of its time and goes to show how much has changed since then. I couldn’t get over the fact how unsettling it was due to what we know now, Coppola manages to direct it in a way that appears normal at the time through its characters.

The film wouldn’t have worked though if it weren’t for its two lead performances from Spaeny & Elordi. What they do with Spaeny is what movie magic is all about. When she is introduced, you get the sense that she truly is a young girl based on her mannerisms. The hair & make up team also transitions her through her years as she gets older to truly get the idea that she is aging. Elordi is magnificent as Elvis. We’ve seen so many portrayals of the characters. What Elordi does differently here is making him into the person that Priscilla views him as. I mean this with high regards, but I was so bothered and annoyed with him as Elvis because of his actions. That’s how good he is at portraying more of an antagonistic side to the character we know. I am sure his work on Euphoria prepared him for this role. Between Spaeny & Elordi, they stand out in award-winning performances.

Aside from the performances, so many other aspects of the film work. This is perhaps one of the rarest occasions where I paid so much attention to the background characters. You’d think everyone else would be bothered by this relationship, when in fact, they just care about Elvis. And that’s really the theme here. The film is about Priscilla, yet no one really cares for her. So much is given to their relationship before the wedding that truly shocked & angered me based on the way she was taken advantage of. By the end of it, I was satisfied with her finally taking control of her life. Not only do I think this will satisfy many viewers, but I believe that this is a sign that people like Priscilla paved the road for women to lead better lives.

One thing I appreciate about Coppola’s work is how she appreciates film and it is so clear here. The cinematography has an older style to it to mimic the time, which accompanies the themes perfectly. The score gives Priscilla her own soundtrack instead of using Elvis’ music to guide her story. Finally, the editing perfectly transitions the scenes to give the feeling as time passes.

I had to think a lot about what I liked versus what I didn’t like long after watching the film. I don’t think I could ever give this a perfect score, mostly because I don’t think it’s something I could ever rewatch. The material was so stressful, which just goes to show how good of a job Coppola did with the tone. I do believe the pacing and the last 30 minutes could have improved. So much time is given to the relationship before the wedding. Once the wedding happens, everything speeds up. The pacing of the film could have improved by cutting out 10 minutes of material and using 10 more minutes towards the end to cover gaps of time. I was also beginning to feel the runtime towards the end. In the end, better pacing and creating a more cohesive structure would have made me feel stronger about the final product.

Overall, Priscilla is a stressful, yet an important watch. Director Sofia Coppola manages to subvert expectations through presenting what was normal at the time and how far we have come. Most importantly, she conveys the idea that we shouldn’t be idolizing our role models that we do as they are not perfect. The film could have more or less ended 10 minutes sooner and the pacing could have certainly improved, but it feels minimal compared to how brilliant the film is. Maybe even a rewatch can improve my score. In the meantime, I am content with this.

VERDICT: Great