ELVIS & NIXON
An entertaining true encounter with strong language for adults only.
Should You Watch It?
ELVIS & NIXON makes a surprisingly entertaining comedy from a simple historical encounter with few actual details. Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey give strong performances as Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon, turning two enigmatic, very different personalities into the center of a thoughtful and often funny meeting.
The film also finds positive moral meaning in Elvis’s sincere, if naïve, desire to serve his country and fight rampant drug use. Its themes include friendship, patriotism, taking action because of moral conviction, and understanding one’s identity beyond celebrity.
The cost is substantial language. Adults who can handle that content will find a smart, well-acted treat. Families choosing for children or young teens should pass on it. For discerning adults, this is worth the trip.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn December 1970, entertainer Elvis Presley becomes troubled by the direction of the country and decides he should do something about it. With help from his longtime friend Jerry Schilling, Elvis travels to Washington, D.C., carrying a letter for President Richard Nixon.
The letter asks for a meeting about Elvis becoming an undercover agent for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. White House staffers see possibilities in the request, while Nixon is less interested. Soon, politics and show business collide.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly entertaining, very well-acted comedy. The writing is smart, and the movie draws many laughs from the strange collision of Elvis Presley’s world with Richard Nixon’s.
Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey drive the film with strong performances. The characters are written and acted in a delightful, fascinating way, whether or not the portrayals are fully accurate. The movie takes a simple event and turns it into something thoughtful as well as funny.
The Worldview
The film presents Elvis’s desire to fight rampant drug use and serve his country as sincere, even though his plan is naïve. It also explores his struggle to understand his purpose and identity as a person rather than merely as a star. Friendship, patriotism, and acting from moral conviction are treated positively.
The movie portrays Nixon as out of touch and paranoid, while also giving him a touch of jollity during the meeting. Much of the story is fictionalized, although the actual visit and Elvis’s letter are historical. The film’s moral perspective is generally positive, especially in its message about friendship, but its strong language weakens the overall result for family viewing.
The film’s longing to matter beyond fame connects with the biblical call to act from sincere conviction: “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Positive moral worldview and message about friendship, taking action because of moral conviction, and patriotism, though shown in a naive, but sincere way; 21 obscenities (including several f-words), 11 profanities (including several misuses of Jesus Christ’s name), and a man urinates in a bathroom; no violence, but news footage of war and civil protests are seen; no sexual content, but man flirts with women and cohabitation before marriage is implied; no nudity; light drinking; no drug use portrayed, but drugs are discussed many times; and, nothing else objectionable.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Elvis wants to act because he is troubled by war, racism, and drug use. When should moral concern move us from watching to taking action?
James 2:17 · 1 John 3:18Elvis’s plan is naïve but sincere. How can you pursue a good goal while remaining humble about what you do and do not understand?
Proverbs 11:2 · James 1:5The film asks whether Elvis is more than a celebrity. Where do you find your identity, and what does Scripture say gives a person lasting worth?
Genesis 1:27 · Galatians 2:20The story presents friendship as a source of help and loyalty. What does a faithful friend do when someone is struggling to find direction?
Proverbs 17:17 · Galatians 6:2The Final Word
ELVIS & NIXON is a smart, funny, very well-acted comedy with positive messages about friendship, patriotism, and moral conviction. Its strong foul language makes it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
