'Elvis' Is A Good Movie That Is Ruined By Tom Hanks In A Fat Suit

On the last ep of LCB we talked news, interviewed Taylor Kitsch, did a superhero draft with Gerald McCoy and reviewed the highly acclaimed ELVIS. 

Here is the thing: I hate director Baz Lurhmann. Besides Moulin Rouge, his movies have been real big stinkers. 

So when I heard this movie got like a 30 minute standing ovation at Cannes, I was skeptical to say the least. Critics are wrong all the time! Maybe they just got duped by the experience of Baz! When i watched the movie, though, I realized the answer is more complicated. 

The movie has a few good things going for it. Austin Butler was so good as Elvis that he made me forget that he looks NOTHING like the man whatsoever. The replicated performances in the third act are awesome and the ending is just about perfect. 

However, this movie is absolutely hamstrung by a PUTRID first act. Almost unwatchable. It is insanely rushed and Baz literally does not stay on a shot for more than 1.5 seconds. It is hamstrung in it's other metaphorical leg by an absurd and unnecessary Tom Hanks performance. He was playing Elvis's manager, Tom Parker, who was an overweight dutch citizen and had a heavy accent. Why in the fuck would Tom Hanks be the guy to take on that role? Hanks is one of the most recognizable actors in all of hollywood, so when you bury him in latex weight and have him do an insane accent, you leave the audience looking at him and going "That's Tom Hanks" instead of letting him exist as part of the movie. His performance also just sucked and dragged down the movie like crazy. 

You can listen/watch our full breakdown below.