In Sofia Coppola’s film “Priscilla,” the common narratives and assumptions surrounding Elvis Presley (played by Jacob Elordi) are graciously set aside to reveal a complicated character revolved around desire, isolation, and fame. Through Coppola’s precise storytelling, she unveils Priscilla’s (played by Cailee Spaeny) real story and offers a fresh perspective on the interaction between fame, love, and isolation.
In this film teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets superstar Elvis Presley at a party in his home in Germany. Her father was stationed in Germany and Elvis was too. The story of how she met him feels like it originated from a fanfiction. She was just 14 when she was begging her parents to go to 25-year-old Elvis’s party.
The first 30 minutes of the film really showed the toxicity of Elvis as a partner. The second time they met he started trauma dumping on her, yet she became infatuated with him. He met her parents and they continued dating until he had to go back to the U.S. He practically ghosted her, and when he called for the first time in two years he asked her to visit him. That visit quickly turned into her parents letting her move in with him. Priscilla went from being a 16-year-old girl to being forced to grow up to be Elvis’s partner.
The rest of the film shows the highs and lows of their relationship through Priscillas’ eyes up until their divorce. The height difference between actress Cailee Spaney and Jacob Elordi definitely symbolized the age gap, control, vulnerability and grooming that was their relationship. Although Elvis seems like a villain from the viewers perspective he was a complicated addict. The movie showed the damaged mental health of this American icon and the results that confined young Priscilla.
Sofia Coppola did a spectacular job with this film, from the casting to the glamorized sets. The budget was on the lower end for a film in theaters compared to others that are currently out. Despite the low budget, the acting was phenomenal, Jacob Elordi’s Elvis accent was unreal compared to Austin Butler’s in the “Elvis” movie. Cailee Spaney’s silence in the movie was loud and memorable. She played Priscilla beautifully despite this being her first major role in the movie industry. Overall this was one of Sofia Coppola’s best films and I definitely recommend watching it.
Overall Rating : 9/10
