Even among those who consider the British monarchy a hopelessly outdated institution that has long since overstayed its welcome, many nonetheless still have a soft spot for Diana (née Spencer), “The People’s Princess,” thanks to her determination to change how someone in her position interacted with the public and those affected by the causes she chose to shine a light on.
From landmines to HIV and AIDS, her philanthropy and activism helped facilitate real change and break down stigmas, and thanks to the place she has in the hearts of so many, most remember exactly where they were when the news of her untimely death broke.
As such, any portrayal of the ill-fated Diana will always be met with much scrutiny since it would be all too easy for such a portrayal to fall victim to the same type of sensationalism that contributed to her tragic demise.
Fortunately, Pablo Larraín manages to find a tasteful balance with Spencer.
Here, he brings the subject of his film to life in a manner that embodies the essence of the real person and their struggles, but avoids becoming exploitative due to the narrative being a fictional scenario that paraphrases what she actually lived through.
Larraín is, of course, no stranger to this approach, as his previous effort Jackie also told a fictional tale based on another woman who was idolized by the public at large and spent her life with the press documenting her every move. That being said, Spencer does not feels derivative of Jackie; if anything, Spencer shows that Larraín has perfected this balance of having a real world icon in a fictional narrative.
Similarly, while the cinematography and editing of Jackie was already impressive, Larraín continues to work with filmmakers who contribute to the increased finesse of his directorial efforts. Jonny Greenwood’s score in particular stands out; being almost a character in itself, it not so much tells the viewer how to feel, but rather underlines the sense of smothering unease Diana increasingly feels throughout the film.
As for the portrayal of Diana, despite what the memes and naysayers will have you believe, Kristen Stewart has long since proved her merit as an actor, and she delivers a stunningly engrossing performance as the titular character in Spencer. Essentially becoming her subject, Stewart conveys Diana’s mannerisms with an eerie accuracy, and anyone who harbors any affection for Diana and what she embodied will likely have a lump in their throat throughout the film.
Furthermore, Stewart’s performance also enables the viewer to simultaneously fall in love with Diana once more, as well as having their hearts break for her all over again as they are reminded of the torment she suffered at the hands of the British Royal Family and the insatiable tabloid media. Again, the filmmakers maintain a tasteful balance that shows a woman in pain – which is shown in, at times, shocking ways – but the narrative nonetheless preserves Diana’s dignity in spite of her ordeal.
As the tagline for the film reads, every fairy tale ends, and Spencer is indeed the story of a fairytale gone horribly wrong, which frankly makes the film verge on psychological horror more than any other genre. However, that is not to say that the film is disrespectful of its main character; instead, it is through the oppressive atmosphere of the setting and the genuine desperation of the character that the film shows its earnestness and sincerity, because while Diana may have been a princess, her life was not a fairy tale – it was a horror story.
Verdict: 9 out of 10.
* * * * *
Produced by Juan de Dios Larraín, Jonas Dornbach,
Paul Webster, Pablo Larraín, Janine Jackowski, Maren Ade
Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Pablo Larraín
Starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall,
Jack Farthing, Sean Harris, Sally Hawkins
