Disturbing yet enthralling

A Masterpiece!

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

I've just watched the first half of this on DVD and can't believe I've waited so long to see it! I've never been too bothered about Elvis - he died 6 years before I was born - but this fascinated me from the first 5 minutes. I'm a fan of Johnny Rhys-Meyers anyway and this is by far the best thing I've seen him in.I bought the DVD as a Christmas present for an Elvis fan but I think I might have to get another copy for myself now, and borrow some of her other movies about/starring Elvis too.I understand comments about the lip-syncing, but if Johnny can't pin down the accent while singing (he's a great singer in his own right) then rather that have him do an injustice. I'd like to have heard Elvis try and sing in a Cork accent ;) I think that Johnny, plus the actress playing Mrs Presley and the actor as Colonel Parker have all done anastounding job here. The awards they won for it are well deserved. I can't wait to get home tonight and watch the second half.

As a lifelong admirer and advocate of Elvis Presley, I wish to say that the story was quite enjoyable and would have educated younger generations of people as to what Elvis Presley achieved in his life up until the 1968 "Comeback" Special. Generally, the actors were terrific. I feel that the two most powerful performances came from Camryn Manheim, who gave an extraordinary and sympathetic portrayal of Elvis' mother, Gladys Presley..and from Randy Quaid, who was equally convincing as the greedy "Colonel". Also, Robert Patrick, was fine in his role as Elvis' daddy, Vernon Presley. Sadly, Elvis' strong-willed and much-loved Grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley, was virtually invisible in this story and, to me, the actor who took on the challenge of playing the world's greatest entertainer, failed miserably. Realising it is impossible to capture the beauty and the magic that was Elvis, I nonetheless found the portrayal to be "wooden", predictable and unconvincing...in an otherwise, good film.

I was quite appalled at this movie, which takes on an almost comedic approach to what is one of the most intriguing and moving stories. It seems that half the facts have been changed to turn Elvis' life into a better "story". If you want a more accurate story and actual Elvis footage, the documentaries made many years ago or 'This Is Elvis (1981)' is still a better bet. Acting by all in 'Elvis (2005)' is mediocre at best, and the way the lead actor portrays Elvis is a little "over the top" for a lot of the time. The rest of the cast is also average. The movie moves very slow in some parts and then jumps around in others, which makes it somewhat difficult to follow, and although as a whole it is a very average film, somehow it draws you in, until at the end you think to yourself, "How did I end up watching that for as long as I did?".

Elvis was a fascinating figure and remains so today. He basically invented Rock and Roll and was in my opinion the first true rock star. This movie does him a great credit. The actor who plays him looks and sounds very close to the way the real Elvis did. The use of actual songs sung by the real Elvis makes the movie all the better. This movie truly shows the pressures and troubles Elvis faced in his life. All in all it presents as a generous and good person, which he really was as sources say. Despite the drug dependency, Elvis was a great person who revolutionized music and set the stage for all performers to come. This movie is captivating and moving.