Spencer Review
Words by Liam Horgan
When it was first announced that Kristen Stewart was going to play Princess Diana there were many questions. Diana being played by an American? Diana being portrayed by Bella Swan? KStew as PDi? (Okay, that last part may be somewhat fabricated). After the dust settled, an apprehension and excitement set in. In recent years, Stewart had quickly shown she was more than her much-parodied performance from The Twilight Saga, showing a penchant for playing somewhat distant characters, as seen in her acclaimed work with director Olivier Assayas. Thus, Stewart was perhaps a perfect choice for the enigma of ’the People’s Princess’. Of course, the person giving Stewart direction was Chilean director Pablo Larraín, fresh off the success of Ema (2019) and the acclaimed Jackie (2016). With all the talent on- and off-screen, the question remains is Spencer any good? In short: yes, very.
Spencer is a complex tale set over the Christmas holidays. Like Jackie (2016), the structure of Larraín’s film is loose and so is his handling of facts. This is not The Crown nor is it a historically accurate biopic, a fact made abundantly clear with the opening title card: ‘a fable based on a tragedy’. If you’re going into this film as a die-hard Royalist or Diana fan, be warned, this is not the film for you. The film is less concerned with the truth behind Diana’s legend but rather deals with her legacy with suitable care and determination. This Diana swears, she pulsates with anger and bitterness at her situation. At times the film plays out more like a twisted psychological thriller than a conventional biopic. Larraín has always shown a talent for allowing his lead to lose themselves in their performances, as to become unrecognisable. Stewart here is mesmerising as the Princess of Wales. Initially the first scene with Stewart as Diana is a little hard to adjust to, but by the end of the film she is lost within the role. As Diana, she balances paranoia and melancholy with a self-confidence that, amongst the Royals, only Diana showed. Like he did with Jackie, Larraín reminds the audience throughout that the focus of his film is first and foremost a human being, a mother, a wife, and a woman.
Stewart as Princess Diana.
Cinematographer Claire Mathon brings a hazy intimacy to the more intimate moments with Diana, contrasting these with other truly nightmarish sequences, especially during dinner. Working alongside Mathon’s imagery is Jonny Greenwood’s score. While Spencer may not be his greatest work, it certainly is a highlight of the film. Between Greenwood’s score and Mathon’s cinematography, a chilling weekend with the Royals unfolds with suitable tension and coldness that not even the writers of Succession could evoke on a good day. Of course, the standout amongst all the talent behind the screen is the costuming by Jacqueline Durran. Durran won the Best Costume design Oscar for her gorgeous work on Little Women (2019) and here she looks set to do so again. Part of the effectiveness of the film is the recreation of Diana’s fashion, indeed Stewart has spoken on how Durran’s work assisted her performance.
Spencer is a masterful biopic, a tribute to its main figure that still maintains artistic merit. The film is grounded by a mesmerising performance by Kristen Stewart, who is in total control of her craft here. Believe the hype, Stewart is the woman to beat right now when it comes to Oscar gold. Unlike Larraín’s previous biopic, Spencer is more distant from its focus, which seems suitable for a figure whose private life was never truly far away from the limelight.
