Review by mchinni-42999

As someone who does not know too much about Elvis, as I am from the Eastern part of the world (but I still know of him that's how famous he is) this film was an effortless introduction to him as a person. The film being directed by Sofia Coppola is the reason I watched it in the first place, aided by the fact that Priscilla herself was involved in the making at some level which makes this film an authentic tale, at least from Priscilla's point of view. I breezed through the film completely engrossed by her being hopelessly sucked into Elvis's world. The film also reveals some of Elvis's troublesome behavior but never lingers upon it too much. I wonder why. Is this because Priscilla herself does not let herself dwell on these moments? Because she doesn't want the Elvis in real life to distort the image of Elvis in her head/heart? There were several moments where you wish she simply leaves him to start a fresh life, with someone her age where she can love someone and that other person loves her and no one else, wants to spend time with her, adores and cherishes her. But I suppose, we do not always want what's good for us, always curious and restless to find out what's on the other side. And having someone as Elvis pay attention to you at such a young age must have gotten straight to your head, if you were in her place. She was way more mature about it than another babbling fangirl, but it was impossible to not let it get to her head, even for Priscilla. She was exactly the kind, honest, even-tempered girl that would've made some normal upstanding man(who goes to work in the morning and comes back home every evening) an excellent wife, and held a career herself. I don't think even the most moral, pleasing, upstanding woman can make an honest husband out of a rockstar, whichever era you belonged to. The nature of the business is such. Madness is the name of the entertainment game, not safe and modest.

P. S: As I said earlier, I'm from the east and that scene where they burn the Autobiography of a Yogi book wounded me deeply. I suppose it's hard for someone from the West to understand it without knowing any of the context that you can only understand if you've grown up where I'm from. Spirituality is in the air, where I'm from, the land of spirituality. If it is only a bunch of words that make logical sense to you, but no living experience of it, it is of no use. It's not some mental gymnastics, it's about life and living, what is it that you are truly seeking from this life. I still feel Elvis's life would have been much more enhanced and meaningful had he had someone real guru (not that makeup guy who was trying to be his spiritual teacher what a joke) to guide him on the path in a real manner that actually, and not some philosophical hamster wheel discussion. The fact that Elvis had some inclination towards spirituality but no proper guru to guide him, really saddens me. What I take for granted since I was born where I am is far out of understanding for some people, who think material pleasures mean everything, really puts into perspective for me how grateful I am for being born as a practicing Hindu, rooted in my culture, to my people, to my land, that always keeps me balanced however high I may go in terms of material success.