Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Elvis & Nixon Blu-ray Movie Review

Only Nixon could go to China. And meet The King.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 17, 2016

It was only a few years ago when former NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal, one of the largest and most recognizable athletes in pro sports history, announced that he wanted to go undercover in law enforcement. Shaq has actually put on the uniform, but clearly a man of his fame, not to mention physical stature, wasn't exactly prime material for deep, in-person undercover work. And neither would be any recognizable face, particularly one known the world over. Say, Elvis. The King of Rock & Roll, arguably the biggest name and most widely recognized face in the history of music -- only Michael Jackson and The Beatles might have have an argument -- once traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet then-President Nixon, voiced his grievances with the country's direction, and asked for a badge to give him authority to help fight crime and restore the country to its former greatness. The story of that meeting is the subject of the wonderful Elvis & Nixon, a snappy, feel-good rewind that explores the brief meeting between two larger-than-life figures in one of the most bizarre, but famous, moments in the history of the intermixing of politics and entertainment. Healthy doses of both humor and patriotism define the movie's rhythm.

One for the archives.

President Nixon (Kevin Spacey) needs a friend. His closest confidants and advisors in the White House -- including Egil Krogh (Colin Hanks) -- believe the President needs a boost in public image, a way to lighten him up and make him more appealing to younger voters. Their prayers seem to be answered when they learn that none other than Elvis Presley (Michael Shanon), the king of Rock 'N' Roll himself, has travelled to Washington, D.C. to hand-deliver a letter and a present to the President, only asking for a few minutes of face time with the leader of the free world in return. Nixon initially refuses the opportunity. After all, Elvis can only be slotted in during the President's nap time. But Nixon is convinced to give Elvis five minutes -- and five minutes only -- in the Oval Office. What followed was one of the most famous celebrity get-togethers in modern history.

Elvis & Nixon may not be a completely accurate depiction of Nixon's meeting with Elvis -- POTUS' notorious recordings were turned off at the time -- but it's resoundingly funny. Based on the real meeting -- and the ever-popular photograph to come from it -- the film explores both personalities in how they view the pending meeting. The King arrives with unbridled enthusiasm while the President approaches it with bothered dread. Of course, those don't necessarily jive with how the meeting actually plays out. The laughs come frequently, largely by way of Shannon's Elvis, whose penchant for panache and love of firearms land him in trouble on more than one occasion. The movie is by no means meant to document the event verbatim, but rather have fun with it. It's an enthusiastically simple and sincere work, a film meant to bring a smile to the face, to recall a moment of levity between two of the 20th century's giants of American history amidst, then, one of the most tumultuous times in American history and now, as the movie releases, again in one of the most tumultuous times in American history. It's pure escapism engineered from a great moment of lightness and levity, made by the personalities and shaped by the performances that capture an infectious spirit of place and time.

Indeed, it's the movie's performances that shine brightest and lead it into the ranks of the greats of purely pleasurable cinema. Director Liza Johnson maintains an infectious posture and pacing for the film, refusing to allow it to slow down and, even in the movie's scattered, but critical, scenes that construct character background rather than build upon the narrative and grow the primary personalities, demonstrates a love for and command of the story by way of her keen perception of its needs. the film oozes time-and-place authenticity in attire and set dressing; costumes and the Oval Office are particularly impressive, but the movie's detailed era-specific glimpses into Graceland, airports, offices, and other areas of the White House appear efficiently detailed. But the lead performances are the movie's key to success. While Spacey doesn't quite fill the bill purely in the looks department, his ability to capture that unmistakably Nixonian posture, movement, and verbal cadence is uncanny. Shannon dominates as The King. His Elvis looks the part. He wears the clothes well and, like Spacey, commands the distinctive externalities with remarkable comfort. He portrays Elvis as an honest and even, looking beyond the flash of jewels and clothes, modest man in how he approaches the meeting and shows his deference to law and order. Shannon injects the character with a clearly naive world view and approach to him, and his Elvis is played as a man who knows his celebrity, uses it to his advantage, but doesn't flaunt it when he doesn't need to. Around the President, he becomes a starstruck fan and little boy all in one, respectful of the man and the office but, like a son showing off to his father, someone who cannot help himself to prove his worth to the President.

Elvis & Nixon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Elvis & Nixon's 1080p transfer goes a bit smudgy around some edges and isn't an inherently showy picture, but the Blu-ray offers up a nice enough reproduction of the original digital elements. The image is clean, with very little noise and no obvious source or compression artifacts. Details largely satisfy, particularly period attire and Elvis' ornate rings and glasses that are showy in close-up. Colors aren't too terribly rich, never overly saturated or jumping off the screen, but crude balance and adherence to basics is fine. Black levels and flesh tones don't stray from normal. This is a rather straightforward, no-frills video presentation of a movie that demands little of the medium's serious horsepower.

Elvis & Nixon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Elvis & Nixon's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is effective and technically stable but sonically underwhelming. Music enjoys good clarity and front-end spacing, but surround usage is virtually zero. Precious few support sound effects are implemented beyond a few gunshots that pop with decent heft and authority. Dialogue is key here, and the spoken word plays with expert prioritization, center-focused placement, and natural clarity. Much like the video image, this a fairly low key, nuts-and-bolts sort of presentation.

Elvis & Nixon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Elvis & Nixon contains a commentary and a featurette. No DVD or digital versions of the film are included.

• Audio Commentary: Director Liza Johnson and Executive Producer/Author Jerry Schilling deliver a well-rounded track that covers Schilling's personal history with Elvis, his work with the cast, historical context behind the story, performances, scene-specific details, and more. This is a high value complimentary track that fans will want to hear.
• Crazy But True Featurette (1080p, 3:29): A quick recap of the real event depicted in the film and a quick pat on the back for the cast.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Elvis & Nixon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Elvis & Nixon finds pleasure in story simplicity concerning larger-than-life figures. It's a joy to watch, perfectly paced, and easy to digest. Production design and performances are stellar. It's one of this reviewer's favorite films from the year so far. Sony's Blu-ray release of one of 2016's most enjoyable films boasts adequate video and audio. A solid commentary track is the supplement highlight. Highly recommended, based largely on the film itself.