Review: Austin Butler, Baz Luhrmann deliver a grand ‘Elvis’

The brief life of Elvis Presley is not something that fits neatly into a conventional biopic formula, though many have tried. With “ Elvis,” which arrives in theaters Friday, Luhrmann and Butler have created something gloriously messy — a maximalist opera of contradictions, styles, truths, myths, memories and headlines. His entire Hollywood career is summed up in a quick montage that ends with Tom Hanks’ Colonel Tom Parker saying in voiceover that “we had a lot of fun.” Perhaps it’s because there are other moments that Luhrmann and his team of screenwriters deem more important — Elvis’ early acts of rebellion in defiance of local politicians, the death of his mother, the assassinations of the Rev. It is propelled by Butler’s transcendent portrayal of Elvis from age 17 on, capturing his almost overnight ascent from a scrawny truck driver and occasional singer to being the most famous man in the world. “Elvis,” a Warner Bros. release in theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for “substance abuse, strong language, suggestive material and smoking.” Running time: 159 minutes.