Title: Elvis & Nixon
Year: 2016
Director: Liza Johnson
Country: US
Language: English
The iconic photograph taken of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon during their secret December 21, 1970 meeting remains one of the most requested images in the National Archives. Their encounter was kept under wraps until 1972 when the story broke in the media, and ever since there’s been wild speculation as to what the meeting entailed.
On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock 'n Roll (Michael Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon (Kevin Spacey)
Elvis & Nixon tackles a familiar subject in the realm of cinema; the cult of celebrity. Elvis was such a sensation that he could request the president's attention at any moment. He could also ask for a badge from the federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and get it, because Nixon was such a fan of the entertainer. Shannon's impersonation isn't the best Elvis impersonation I've seen, but he does play a rather hypocritical figure pretty well. Elvis claimed that he wanted to become a drug control officer because he hated the influence of drugs on the American public, yet he was quite the abuser of drugs himself.
The two men standing across from one another makes for a fascinating, almost surreal visual juxtaposition. Most of the screen-time revolves around Elvis’ friends trying to arrange the face-to-face meeting. It's a rather suspenseful buildup, but when the pair finally do meet, the film becomes playful yet restrained. The absurdity of this situation doesn't solidify itself with wacky comedy, nor does the film attempt to be compelling and dramatic.
While this picture might appeal to an older audience (people who were alive while this meeting was happening), it leaves a lot to be desired. Shot in muted tones, Elvis & Nixon feels more like a "made for tv" movie than anything that should be shown in the theatre.
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