Synopsis:
The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There’s eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be profoundly different. SPENCER is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days.
Have you ever wanted to leave a place so bad that you could almost jump out of your skin Whether it be your place of employment, your in-laws’ house, or your own home, sometimes we just can’t be completely mentally present and need to escape. By way of obligations or traditions, among other things, we often put our minds and bodies through tons of stressful and unwanted situations. And as we know, we all have a breaking point. Everyone responds differently to stress. Some people may lash out, some will get physical, and others may suffer in private which results in some kind of personal detriment. Based on what we know now, it is important more than ever to treat your mental health seriously. Take a day off, go stay in a hotel for a night, take a walk, do whatever is necessary to keep yourself sane. You’ll thank yourself later.
“Fuck doctors, what you need is love.”
From acclaimed director Pablo Lorrain, the psychological drama Spencer is tense, emotional, and is sure to be mentioned come award season. Focusing on Diana Frances Spencer or Princess Diana as most of us know her, during a difficult and eye-opening point in her life, this film is the agonizing introspection of an icon. Dominated by the performance of Kristen Stewart as Diana, it’s a drama that is so intense, high stakes, and surprisingly trippy that it feels like a thriller. While watching, I couldn’t help but be reminded of two fantastic films, The Father and Judy. With what seems like a healthy balance of both films, in regards to acting, feeling, and structure, you’ll have difficulty finding anything wrong with this film. Telling the story of the caged bird eager to be set free, it’s not only relatable but adds context and a peek into what the People’s Princess struggled with. Conflicted with how she sees herself along with how everyone else does as the paparazzi profession grows, she also has issues with the lack of control of her own life. The aesthetic of the film is transportive, the score is one of my favorites of the year, the cinematography is fantastic, and there are some scenes that are permanently burned into my mind. While this may not be your first pick at the theater with the family, this is the performance-driven film that you need to see. It’s easily digestible but majestically made, simple yet sophisticated. I highly recommend Spencer. Its rewatchability is high.
Pacing & Pop
In order to really explore the full mental state of one of the most photographed and beloved people of the 20th century, the film needed to take its time. However, I wouldn’t necessarily call the pacing slow, more like unhurried. What popped for me besides the magnificent performance by Kristen Stewart had to be the score. The music composed by Jonny Greenwood made each scene explode alongside the powerful acting. The score is both haunting and thrilling and masterfully says what words cannot.
Characters & Chemistry
Kristen Stewart delivers the best performance of her life and perhaps the year as Princess Diana. Not only does she resemble Diana, but by the end of the film, she is Diana. Stewart dives into the anguish and suffocation that Diana felt having to conform to ancient traditions as well as the loss of her autonomy. Full of immense emotion and tension, you feel what she feels as you spiral into clarity with her. From the look to the voice, this is a performance to remember.
Spencer is now in theaters as of November 5, 2021. Stay safe and enjoy.
Director: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, Jack Farthing
Writer: Steven Knight
Producers: Juan de Dios Larraín, Jonas Dornbach, Paul Webster, Janine Jackowski, Maren Ade
Executive Producers: Steven Knight, Tom Quinn, Jeff Deutchman, Christina Zisa, Maria Zuckerman, Ryan Heller, Michael Bloom, Ben Von Dobeneck, Sarah Nagel, Isabell Wiegand
Composer: Jonny Greenwood
Director of Photography: Claire Mathon
Rated: R
Runtime: 1h 56m
Rating: 5 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
