'Priscilla': Trapped in Elvis' Song

 PREMIERE

In the vast cinematic canvas of Sofia Coppola, "Priscilla" emerges as a unique gem, unraveling the invisible threads of an American myth in the long courtship and tumultuous marriage between Elvis and Priscilla Presley. The film, like a whisper from forgotten eras, delves into the shadows of the musical icon, revealing the darkest nuances of this captive story.

Priscilla, personified by the magnetic Cailee Spaeny, emerges as a doll sculpted by Elvis' whims. Her hair, an enigma of ebony, uplifts her eyes at the King's request, and the dress, a fabric that waves her desires. Coppola, with her brush of nostalgia, paints a subtle dynamic, exploring Priscilla's struggle to find her voice in a corner of time where attraction and oppression dance a delicate waltz. Coppola's direction turns the film into a symphony of visual melancholy, tinged with a palette of colors that brings the audience closer to the musical royalty of a bygone era. The master filmmaker, a weaver of atmospheres in which to dive and never resurface, immerses us in the very essence of the conflict between Priscilla and Elvis, allowing us to feel the emotional complexities of these intertwined icons.

Jacob Elordi, an incarnate King, exceeds expectations, unearthing the deepest shadows of Elvis' heart. While Austin Butler left his mark, Elordi penetrates the dark essence, leading us through the corridors of the psyche of the King of Rock 'n' Roll to places that evoke genuine terror.

The most striking aspect of the main relationship lies in the characterization in addition to the casting itself. Two actors born in practically the same year (Elordi in '97 and Spaeny in '98) who despite being the same age manage to create that unsettling feeling in our bodies of seeing how Elvis, already older, engages in a romance with a 14-year-old girl.

However, the film is not immune to cracks. The scenes, like repetitive verses, fall into monotony, and the lack of coherence in the script, a poetic dissonance that disturbs narrative harmony. Even so, these shadows fail to eclipse the emotional force that drives the film as a whole.

The ending, a tragic farewell whose sadness saturates the screen, leaves a resonance of loss and reflection on the fragility of relationships in the glare of fame. "Priscilla" stands as a poetic and beautiful exploration of reality behind the myth, an ode of emotions that resonates beyond the dimming lights of Graceland. In Coppola's hands, this film becomes a poignant testimony of love, loss, and the eternal quest for authenticity in the dazzling splendor of what we want to be and can never achieve.

The film premieres on February 14 in Spain and is the best possible plan to go see with your partner on Valentine's Day.

@lovacaine