Disclaimer: Priscilla Movie Rating: R (Drug Use and Some Language)
Priscilla, starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi follows the true story of Priscilla Presley, the former wife of Elvis Presley and her life with him. It’s based off the book Elvis and Me written by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and Sandra Harmon.
The film starts off with a 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu living in West Germany at the time, who meets an already older and famous Elvis Presley at a party. Already in their first interaction we can see things starting to form until they are in a relationship.
Unlike other depictions of Elvis, Priscilla gets to have her moments to shine where we see parts of her home life and school life. We can see her transition from being a young girl to being known as Elvis’s partner and getting pushed into the spotlight, having to look picture perfect at any moment.
In this story, aside from Elvis being known as “The king of rock”, the film shows his more tempered side. It’s clear there’s more of a power dynamic due to him being so known. We can see how Priscilla changed herself based on Elvis’s image such as her hair, makeup, and clothes.
The movie does a good job at emphazing their age difference, from Priscilla being a ninth grader to their height difference. Even when she’s with Elvis, it’s clear she’s a young girl in a big world that’s trying to figure out what life she wants.
There are many emotional moments in the film where you can sympathize with Priscilla. I felt empathy for the times she was struggling and not feeling her best self, yet still having to uphold a glamorous image. You can feel the loneliness she feels being far away from home, she feels devoted to Elvis but there’s some fear underneath.
The film does an amazing job portraying the 50’s to 70’s aesthetic with the music, clothing and film style. I like how Priscilla and Elvis’s outfits were accurate to the real-life ones, especially Priscilla’s wedding dress.
I feel like Priscilla can give unknown audiences insight into who she was, the film shows the things she went through at such a young age and how she built a life of her own. Cailee Spaeny gives a beautiful and emotional portrayal of Priscilla while Elordi also provides a strong performance. Priscilla is now out in theaters.
