Although not fashionable these days with artists, there was a time when they were known as much for being a famous couple, such as John and Yoko, Sonny and Cher, Ike and Tina, than their music.

Right up there as was one of the most famous were Elvis and Priscilla, despite the fact that Priscilla wasn’t even musically inclined.

So with Baz Luhrmann focusing on the King with 2022’s Elvis, Sofia Coppola takes on the other side of this relationship with Priscilla’s story.

1959, and 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) is stationed in Germany with her parents, as her father is a member of the US army.

Being so young and living in a foreign country should be exciting, but it’s all quite dull for Priscilla.

She’s approached by a soldier in a restaurant, who asks if she’s interested in meeting a friend of his, who’s also missing home and enjoys the company of fellow Americans. Not seemingly winning her over, she tells her who his friend is – Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi). Now Priscilla is interested, being a fan, much like the majority of the world’s young female population.

Although her parents are quite strict and suitably protective, she is allowed to visit Elvis, and it’s a meeting that changes her life forever.

Elvis is, undoubtedly a global icon. Priscilla, well, not so much. Of course she is famous for being Mrs Presley, so you would think that would be enough to see her story on the screen. You would think.

Although they may well be one of the world’s most famous couples, Coppola’s film is disappointingly humdrum. They say that behind every great man stands a woman, but that’s not the case here. For starters, Priscilla was literally a girl when they began their relationship, and her role, as seen through this film at least, was very submissive. And although that’s understandable, considering she was dating the most famous man on the planet, it makes for a wholly unsatisfying film.

Instead of being quietly intense, Coppola’s film is intensely quiet; it is a film devoid of any drama, lacking any kind of spark. Part of the problem is down to her Elvis; Elordi looks nothing like him, despite being handsome enough, he lacks the obvious sex appeal that, say, Austin Butler carried off. And to a certain extent, that’s understandable, seeing that Priscilla is centre stage here, and yet without the obvious charisma that he had on display, his performance is borderline Elvis impersonator territory.

And although Spaeny is in almost every frame, and does well for what is asked of her, her constant meek disposition throughout makes for a dull and dreary personality.

Perhaps part of the problem is that Priscilla herself was an executive producer, as the film is based on her book, but that may have curtailed Coppola’s usual flowing creativity, with Priscilla so close to the project. Either that or they really did have a boring relationship.

Unfortunately it’s the kind of biopic where you kind of somehow walk away knowing less than you already know about someone.

The main takeaway is that the young Priscilla found herself almost imprisoned within the gilded cage that was Gracelands, and that’s about it.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is its ending, that Coppola doesn’t even refer to, in playing Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You; it’s a song that Elvis intended to cover, but Dolly turned him down due to the high demand on the royalties that Col. Tom Parker demanded. It’s easily the most fascinating thing about this film, and it’s not even mentioned.

Ultimately Coppola’s film keeps any juicy stuff at arm’s length, such as what was technically grooming on Elvis’ part, which has Elvis coming across as respectful and decent for the majority of time, which just doesn’t feel as if that could possibly have been the case.

For the most part Priscilla comes across in the film as well-intentioned albeit dull, timid and lacking personality, which pretty much sums up the film itself.