Priscilla – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Priscilla – Heart, Love and Loss at Graceland

Within life, we face certain moments with chance and emotions, making our way down an unknown path.  As the ripple of consequences take hold, a story blossoms of what is and what may become.  When these stories grip within the medium of film, it is an escape that showcases meaningful stature … a lesson of things to unfold.  In this review, I look at the latest bio-pic to hit the big screen.  Within a story based on true events, we get to see fame from a different perspective.  Even when moments drag, Priscilla provides an interesting look at the woman of Graceland. 

This is a story about the life of Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny), and her relationship with the rock-n-roll star, Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi).  When it comes to bio-pics, it becomes a balancing act of journey and truth. For Sofia Coppola (writer/director), she builds a narrative that endears to the memoirs (Elvis and Me) while crafting a fragile journey around the meaning of love.  In the beginning, we come into the story through the drop-in method, showcasing Priscilla’s teenage life in Germany.  Through convenient plot devices, she meets Elvis Presley at a party.  After a series of conversational scenes, the directive slowly builds within a focus of emotions and caution.  Their budding relationship slowly creates the foundation for the thematic aspect of ‘what is love’, a retrospective that shines upon the memoirs through an act of human brevity (for the audience).  From here, the tides of emotions move through a series of scenes that puts their relationship at a crossroads.  As the two begin to live their own lives, it is a refraction point of thematic appeal.  The caution (age and distance) layers the characterization of the journey, rehashing that endearment of truth.  As the two make the choice to ‘be together’, it turns the narrative further into that thematic foundation of ‘what is love’.

As the story shifts to Graceland, it becomes a journey filled with genuine moments and melodramatic tropes.  Priscilla’s adjustment to her new life becomes an emotional roller coaster, trying to balance the private moments of innocence with the isolation of a heavy heart.  These moments are elevated by the focal point on Priscilla, generating a strong character tale surrounded by melodramatic sequences.  This leads to a third act of momentary reflection, showcases an onlook on certain decisions made (for the relationship).  This builds towards a climax that ends on a rhetorical look at the theme, ‘what is love’.  Priscilla is a character perspective around truth and familiar ideas.  If you are a fan of character tales or anything related to the Presley’s, this is for you.  Even so, it is still a good time at the theaters, for the right price.

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)