PG-13 | 2h 39 | Biopic, Drama | June 24, 2022 First things first: Can the new kid play Elvis? Yes he can. Quite satisfyingly, too. Granted, the real Elvis Presley was a comet, a powerful flash of brilliance, and it’s a tall order for any actor, regardless of talent level, to capture that incandescence.
Austin Butler, sans hair and makeup, at an affair for “Elvis.” (Warner Bros.)
I re-watched a bit of the 1979 “Elvis,” because at the time I was convinced the young Kurt Russell was channeling The King. Russell, once a pro baseball hopeful, had the athleticism for Elvis’s dance moves. Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers was physically impressive as well. But Butler nails the moves, accent, singing, and Southern je ne sais quoi, across the board….