One for the money, Two for the show, Three to get ready. Don't go (to "Priscilla!")
Seen: "Priscilla" on Nov. 11, 2023 at Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY
WATCH! » 👀 » I Saw The New Sofia Coppola Film “Priscilla” (Plus More!)
I stood up at the predictable ending of Priscilla and looked around the theater, exclaiming to no one in particular, “That sucked!”
You ask, “Completely predictable? Well, yeah, it’s a true story; you know how it ends!”
No.
I mean predictable in the filmmaking. I knew the exact second we would cut to black. In this case, Priscilla Presley has declared that she is leaving her marriage to Elvis and proceeds to drive away as Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” plays. If I were Priscilla, I would go into a tree. It’s what I wanted to do.
Cut to black.
I went into Priscilla, not being much of a fan of Sofia Coppola’s work. In the same way that I am against the tide of praise over The Virgin Suicides and Lost In Translation, I don’t want to succumb to the “nepo baby” trend, but damn.
It’s tough not to mind-wander into “Sofia’s father is Francis Ford-Coppola, this film is produced by his company American Zoetrope, and the infallible A24 is the distributor.” I do not know how A24 would pick up this film on the merits.
As for me, I was fooled into the theater by the acting accolades presented in the film’s trailer. Fool me three times into watching Sofia’s films, and it’s shame on me and my parents?
As for those acting accolades, I was unmoved. Oh, except towards the end of the film when I was so frustrated with the never-ending stream of cliches that I inappropriately laughed out loud. I expected to be “shushed,” but since I wasn’t, I’ll conclude it was because I was expressing the feelings of my fellow ripoffees.
Priscilla Presley is the Executive Producer of Priscilla, adapted from her book by Coppola. I am not questioning the authenticity of this story or the challenges of Presley’s life experiences. I am sure there is a story to tell about her life in the context of a film that says something. Or says anything! This film does neither. We learn nothing except that Elvis likes ‘em very young and that he is an asshole.
Even if you are someone who knows nothing about Elvis or Priscilla and are just going into this for a “love story,” you will not even get that! A daytime soap opera is more nuanced, dramatic, and worth your time. I found myself thinking that they must have been in the editing room knowing that this story was going nowhere and were like, “Well, we shot it, and we got paid. Better finish it up! I’m Sofia Coppola. I have an Oscar. My father is Francis. A24 is distributing this. It must be good. Right?”
Oof.
We see all of the gauzy, “laying around in bed” shots I have seen in Sofia’s films before. We see washed-out, sun-soaked shots with the frame bordered to give us that “Oh, look, it’s old home movies!” feeling. The pandering is insulting. At points, I felt like the entire film could have been constructed from stock footage.
In addition to Sofia’s directorial tropes, we experience cliches in the writing that, as “Doug Neidermeyer” states in Animal House are “so profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here.”
That said, a list is the way to go!
The “I’m thinking about Elvis, and I miss him” scene
The “Strangers aren’t allowed in Graceland” scene
The taking pills and cheating in school scene
The not leaving bed and being served room service at home scene (This went on for several minutes. It was like album filler, but for movies.)
A pillow fight?!
More pills and Elvis is “getting out of control” scene
The Elvis gets jealous and loses his temper scene
The Elvis gets mad and throws a chair and then immediately says, “Sorry, baby” scene (This is when I first laughed out loud.)
The Elvis does LSD, and we see the screen get “wavy,” accompanied by Indian music and the Priscilla line, ‘Your shirt is breathing!’ scene
Priscilla declares, “I can’t stand it! It’s driving me crazy! I can’t hear it anymore!” scene. (I said out loud, “Same!”)
The proposing marriage with a surprise wedding ring scene
The “LEAVE!” “DON’T LEAVE!” scene (There are many.)
The hairdos get higher and higher to show the passage of time scene
The Elvis gets his leather suit scene
The slow zoom-out on Priscilla as Elvis leaves for tour scene
And, as mentioned above, the most obvious use of Dolly’s “I Will Always Love You” ever. Cut to black on Priscilla driving away to her “new life.”
But, it’s not all bad!
I heard the song “How You Satisfy Me” by Spectrum for the first time and enjoyed it. The score was an exciting contrast. It was composed by Thomas Mars of Phoenix, who happens to be Sofia Copolla’s husband. Full circle on the nepotism. Okay, fine.
Ultimately, what are we presented here?
The portrayals of the Presleys is unconvincing. The film is filled with constant fighting that has no point, and if that is the point, I would rather see constant fighting as part of a performance art piece. Give me something that feels like intent, please!
Is this how the actual Pricilla Presley wants to be portrayed? We learn absolutely nothing about her inner life at all. The vibe of the entire movie is tense. I guess Priscilla is about how Elvis is a scumbag who married a child?! I feel like even a casual knowledge of the man already informs us of that lack of character trait.
Anyway, I’m done writing this. I’m going to stand up.
That sucked.
— Josh Bloom, Nov. 13, 2023