Movie Breakdown: Priscilla

Pre-Screening Stance:

I’m a really big fan of Sofia Coppola, so I’m just naturally inclined to be excited about a new film from her. With that being said, Priscilla looks great and I’ve heard nothing but positive things about it for a while now.

Post-Screening Ramble:

With two award-worthy lead performances, a stellar soundtrack, and a massively compelling story, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla is absolutely one of the year’s best films. It gets underway with an introduction to – of course – Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny), a 14-year old living on a military base in Germany with her parents. After a chance invite, she attends a party hosted by Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) and rather quickly becomes the apple of his eye. The film then follows their relationship, from the courtship on the base, to him arranging for her to join him stateside, to their marriage, and to their eventual separation/divorce. You see a lot of quiet, intimate moments between them that show a real love and appreciation for one another, and you also see just as many troubling items that play in direct opposition to the mythological shine placed on Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann film from last year. Kudos to Coppola though, she doesn’t just go about damning Elvis here, she more grounds him via his oddities and instead elevates and focuses on Priscilla. So, this film is her badge of honor, a real testament to how she was able to grow up and find herself while navigating her way through a bizarre relationship with one of the most famous individuals ever. You need to see it. Priscilla hits theaters tomorrow, November 3.

One Last Thought:

What a time to be Jacob Elordi. He’s not only very good in this film, but the other one that he has out this month – Saltburn – also features a noteworthy turn from him. How long until he’s in a Marvel movie? Just kidding. Mostly.