Elvis & Nixon

Name: Elvis & Nixon
Genre: History, Comedy
Released: April 22, 2016
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 59
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Michael Shannon

2016

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Mixed or average reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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Elvis & Nixon

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Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: April 22, 2016 | R

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Michael Shannon

Summary: On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock ’n Roll, Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). This is the untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office forever immortalized inOn a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock ’n Roll, Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). This is the untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office forever immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.… Expand

Director: Liza Johnson

Genre(s): History, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 86 min

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Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper

Apr 21, 2016

For the bulk of the ride, it’s a wickedly funny interpretation of the one of the great confounding moments in American pop culture and political history. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Apr 20, 2016

Helping Elvis & Nixon remain in conjectural mode is the fact that neither actor – Michael Shannon as Elvis and Kevin Spacey as Nixon – looks particularly like the character he is playing. Yet both actors make their roles believable through apt choices in body language and vocalization. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Apr 22, 2016

Given the high quotient of hypotheticals in the story line, Nixon & Elvis can’t really be said to add to the historical record, but it’s an entertaining, deadpan jape that, with a bit of tweaking, could probably work as a stage play. Read full review

Peter Travers

Apr 21, 2016

It ain't fact, but it is damn entertaining fiction. Read full review

The Guardian Nigel M Smith

Apr 18, 2016

When you have two of today’s best working actors acting on a high-wire to do justice to two of the most recognisable figures of the 20th century, it’s best to keep the focus solely located on them. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Apr 21, 2016

Shannon is worth seeing, and so is Spacey — hunched over, doing a funny impression of Nixon’s voice and body language. But this time the actors are better than the material. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Apr 18, 2016

Told with the gravitas of a comedy sketch and the edginess of the funny pages, Elvis & Nixon at least has the good sense to appreciate that its namesakes were larger than life, each walled off from the world in their own way. Read full review

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User Reviews

FilipeNeto

Jan 15, 2021

This was one of the films I saw at the last New Year's Eve, and it was a pleasant surprise, considering that I was not particularly impressed with the synopsis I had read about it. The strong point of the film is the simple fact that it is based, obviously in a very distorted way, on aThis was one of the films I saw at the last New Year's Eve, and it was a pleasant surprise, considering that I was not particularly impressed with the synopsis I had read about it. The strong point of the film is the simple fact that it is based, obviously in a very distorted way, on a meeting that really took place between Elvis Presley, one of the most notable music artists ever, and the American President Richard Nixon, remembered by American history for the worst reasons, usually, given that he was one of the few presidents to step down to avoid being forced out from office.

The script is good, and adapts perfectly to a short film like this. In fact, almost everything happens only during one day of the singer's life, who, distressed by drug abuse by young people, decides to collaborate with the authorities as a plain clothed federal agent, secretly, in order to combat the abuses of youth who, for him, corrupted America. Nixon is not a kind of man who adheres to fashions or wants to be with singers, and will naturally pose several objections to the meeting, but he will be overcome by his daughter, who is an Elvis fan.

The cast is as small as the film, but it has a great performance by Kevin Spacey, an actor that I usually don't usually appreciate very much but who did an excellent job as the president. Michael Shannon is an actor I didn't know, I don't remember any of his films, but I think he did an interesting job in the role of Elvis, although I have my doubts about how strict he was in the way he portrayed the King. Obviously, the scenes with the White House advisers stank of comic satire and I don't believe they happened that way. Alex Pettyfer, Colin Hanks and Evan Peters play the secondary roles with dignity and commitment, the latter two with a strong comic streak.

Technically, it is a pleasant film, which entertains and flows smoothly until the end, with good doses of humor and very inspired and colorful dialogues. It has a pleasant cinematography and the costumes make good use of the clothes and fashion of that time. The sets, in turn, are not so visibly dated, but they fit perfectly. The soundtrack is very good and uses iconic songs like "Hold On, I'm Comming" by Sam and Dave, or "Suzy Q", by Creedence Clearwater Revival, functioning as a true potpourri of the best music of the early Seventies.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Apr 25, 2016

This comic tale is based on an actual event in 1970, when Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up at the White House to request a meeting with President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). Shannon portrays The King as a sincere, misunderstood and misguided character, while it's Spacey who gets toThis comic tale is based on an actual event in 1970, when Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up at the White House to request a meeting with President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). Shannon portrays The King as a sincere, misunderstood and misguided character, while it's Spacey who gets to satirize the President with hilarious results. The run-up to the encounter unfolds effectively, but isn't especially funny. Actually, other than Spacey, there aren't a lot of laffs. It's more about quiet humor than big comedy. Still, this fictionalized version of what happened is fun to watch… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

LamontRaymond

Apr 23, 2016

If you're even slightly a fan of E, you'll enjoy this movie. Michael Shannon obviously doesn't look like Elvis, but he does an outstanding job of acting to his essence, and the humor comes through in spades. I was surprised that it was actually Alex Pettyfer, as Elvis's friend/assistantIf you're even slightly a fan of E, you'll enjoy this movie. Michael Shannon obviously doesn't look like Elvis, but he does an outstanding job of acting to his essence, and the humor comes through in spades. I was surprised that it was actually Alex Pettyfer, as Elvis's friend/assistant Jerry, who really stole the movie. Such a sympathetic and non-caricature portrayal. That guy needs to be in more movies - leads. And not of YA-novel adaptations.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

TheMetacritiqer

Aug 27, 2016

One of the funniest movies I've seen in while. Both of the real life figures translate great on the big screen. While it's doubtful Elvis shot one of tvs, it makes for a great movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Nov 6, 2016

Elvis & Nixon may not be the most challenging piece of cinema ever released, but it is a very one. With two terrific lead actors in Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey, Elvis & Nixon is based on a single image of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon in the White House. The rest rises out of anElvis & Nixon may not be the most challenging piece of cinema ever released, but it is a very one. With two terrific lead actors in Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey, Elvis & Nixon is based on a single image of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon in the White House. The rest rises out of an imagined reason for the meeting. In doing so, the film manages to delve into both Elvis and Nixon as people, serving as an interesting look at both of them, even if the story itself is not really true. However, what it lacks in truth, it makes up for with comedy. A smart and witty film, Elvis & Nixon is incredibly well-written as a comedy with lots of little references to real events and outright jokes. The end result of all of this is truly enjoyable hour and a half.

As Elvis, Michael Shannon is loud, boisterous, and magnanimous. However, he does not shy away from the internal struggles facing Elvis and the status of being a celebrity. Though far from unique in this, the film does a good job to evoke feelings of sympathy for "The King". Remaining deified to this very day, he is rarely looked at as a person and the film does a good job to make us feel for him on a personal level. He is not just some kooky rock star who wants to be a federal agent, he is a real person and nobody ever gives him that time of day. Shannon's performance is truly magnetic and really carries the film on his shoulders.

As Nixon, Kevin Spacey is equally terrific. Though a lot of it is reminiscent of Frank Underwood in House of Cards, his Nixon feels quite accurate and stoic. Watching his transformation from when he is first told about Elvis wanting to meet him to when he actually meets him is quite comical. Yet, Spacey makes it feel authentic and really captures that "not cool but want to be cool" essence that many people have, especially when in the presence of somebody cool. Spacey's turn here also provides many laughs, especially at the end when he is twirling the gun. There is a certain simplicity to the style of comedy in the film and Nixon captures most of the best lines in this one, with Spacey making the most of it with good delivery and timing.

However, in saying this, while the film is quite funny and a good look at both of its real life protagonists, Elvis & Nixon is an incredibly slight film. Coming in at just an hour and a half, Elvis & Nixon is largely just focused on this meeting and setting it up, while pretending to develop of a background relationship/issue for Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer), who is an associate and friend of Elvis. It can certainly drag as you just want them to get to the meeting. The romance background, which is barely looked at, is clearly there to just add some further dimension to the film, but even with that here, Elvis & Nixon rarely makes the case for being a feature-length film. While I did really enjoy my time with it, it probably would have been even better as a short film (40-50 minutes in length maybe), allowing it to be more focused on the photograph and meeting, rather than adding fluff to make it longer.

As a whole, Elvis & Nixon is a very funny film that may be a little too long for its story, but thanks to Shannon's Presley and Spacey's Nixon, the film is incredibly easy to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

badgerryan19

May 19, 2017

First of all I wanna say this is one of the most underrated/unwatched films of 2016. Kevin Spacey being cast as Richard Nixon was a perfect fit. Michael Shannon as Elvis was a odd choice but Michael is a great actor and he pulled it off. The movie was surprisingly very funny. The movieFirst of all I wanna say this is one of the most underrated/unwatched films of 2016. Kevin Spacey being cast as Richard Nixon was a perfect fit. Michael Shannon as Elvis was a odd choice but Michael is a great actor and he pulled it off. The movie was surprisingly very funny. The movie definitely benefits from having very strong performers and being very funny… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Benkoko11

Feb 23, 2017

I came to see Spacey and Shannon, but left wondering whether there was enough of a story here to make a film? The answer is resoundingly no. This here is a film with remarkably little value either as entertainment or education.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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