Here at Film Threat, we get a lot of “Spinal Tap”-type mockumentaries sent to us. I know because I’ve seen plenty of them. It’s obvious that this type of film is a great way to go for aspiring filmmakers. Many of your flaws are covered up. Shoddy camera work is welcome and shitty acting…well, shitty acting can actually be an endearing quality for your characters. Not that “We Three Kings” has either one of these qualities. In fact, it’s very well shot and edited and the acting is quite good. “We Three Kings” could stand up there with the best of the mockumentaries. But the one thing I couldn’t get past was the subject matter. I can’t remember the last time I found an Elvis impersonator amusing. Actually, I can’t remember the last time I found any kind of celebrity impersonator amusing, not even back when they appeared on Star Search. So I’m afraid that a mockumentary about a trio of Elvis impersonators on a mission to spread Elvisness to the world didn’t really knock me over.
David and Tommy are Elvis impersonators. In fact, they aim to be the best damn Elvis impersonators in the world. One is the clean cut 50’s Elvis and the other is the 60’s leather daddy Elvis, but all they need is the bloated Hometown Buffet eatin’ Elvis to round out the three generations so that they can put together a show that will win them first place in the Southeast Regional Lookalike Contest. This film follows them on their quest.
The danger in making a film like this is that you’re mostly relying on your subject matter to appeal to your audience. A theater full of people will quickly disregard good filmmaking and performances if they all happen to hate Elvis impersonators. “Spinal Tap” had a very specific subject, but it had two major things going for it. It had masterful performances and its subject matter, about a train wreck of a metal band, speaks to a lot more people than a film about Elvis impersonators.
There may be a few of you out there, though that find the idea of a trio of washed up Elvis impersonators hysterical. If so, this is the film for you.
