Elvis & Nixon

The security guards outside the White House in Washington D.C. were astonished when one day in 1970 none other than the King of Rock`n`Roll Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) stood in front of them and asked for a meeting with President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). Because he, of all people, who embodied youth culture like no other in the 50s and was thus a thorn in the side of moral guardians, now wants to work for the government as an undercover agent and thus win the fight against drugs and communism. Nixon at first categorically refuses a meeting, but is then persuaded - in exchange for an autograph for his daughter - that it could be advantageous for him to meet with the King. And so it comes to a meeting of two at first sight dissimilar men, who apparently had more in common than first thought.

director Liza Johnson skillfully blends fact with fiction in Elvis & Nixon to create a highly entertaining meeting between two very extreme characters. With the help of Jerry Schilling, a longtime friend of Elvis's played in the film by Alex Pettyfer, Johnson and her team managed to keep it as authentic as possible despite some fictional elements. But what really stood out was the decision not to cast Elvis with an actor who bore a strong resemblance to the King. At the beginning it seems a bit strange to see Michael Shannon in this role. However, the Oscar-nominated actor does an excellent job of bringing out the different facets of Elvis, precisely because he stands apart from the usual impersonations of the King.

Kevin Spacey, currently shining as a fictional U.S. president in House of Cards, also delivers a real tour de force as Nixon. These two lead actors alone make Elvis & Nixon quite a delight. This is further intensified by the wonderful script, which is bursting with amusing dialogue. There may be a few moments that would have benefited from a little more bite, making them feel a little plodding. But overall, Liza Johnson offers her audience here an extremely entertaining glimpse into a brief moment in U.S. history when politics and the entertainment industry intermingled in a wonderfully absurd way.

So if you like light hearted entertainment cinema with great actors, clever dialogue and a great story, then Elvis & Nixon's reunion is definitely not to be missed. Absolutely worth seeing!!!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp