Spencer Review
A Christmas drama for the ages
Who isn’t familiar with the tragic story of Princess Diana of Wales? From her charity work and giving spirit to her chafing relationship with the monarchy, Diana Spencer was a cultural icon and emblem for the changing of times, made an outcast within the royal family for her kindness and compassion. With no shortage of literature and film detailing her life, relationships, and untimely death, the 2021 drama Spencer was charged with giving us something new and interesting – in short, we needed a story that hasn’t already been told. Pablo Lorrain not only understood this assignment but went above and beyond in achieving this goal, offering a work of art worthy of our beloved Lady Di.
In keeping with my attempts at media blackout for movies I plan on seeing, I sat down in the theater having no idea Kristen Stewart would be playing the princess! And she rocked it! I was worried I might be too caught up in seeing Stewart as Diana, effectively preventing me from suspending my disbelief, but no, she absolutely killed in the role. From our heroine’s body language and airy voice to the comfortability – or uncomfortability – in the styled hair and gorgeous outfits (shoutout to the makeup, hair, and wardrobe folks, whose prowess also cannot be understated), Stewart had me desperately rooting for Diana’s success. I was torn between praying that she would run away from it all, earning her freedom from the physically and emotionally cold royal residence, and urging her to conform, if only to get through the whole affair. Stewart captured and carried my heart for Diana in a performance well-deserving of commendation.
The cinematography is simply to die for. Moving shots from afar, smoothly panning along a boulevard as we watch Diana stroll through fog in England’s bone-chilling cold. Close-ups on Diana that have us feeling how claustrophobic the whole affair is for our protagonist. Handheld angles of dynamic environments, jostling slightly to keep us in the action. All of it, wonderfully done.
And the score! You could tell from the jump the music was going to convey the setting in ways both charming and sublime, from slow piano over views of beautiful, melancholic lawns to jazzy brass and percussion during heightened stress and drama. We get our first great and intrusive track during Diana’s first on-screen bulimic purge – while she’s washing her hands, the volume ratchets up, shoving us in the immediacy of it all without any catharsis offered. With this occurring inside of the first ten minutes, we know the film is going to be something special.
One could go on gushing over this movie, talking about every scene in great detail… And here I will take that liberty, if only to discuss the first dinner. The outfits, the visibly delectable food, the ornamentation of the room, the choreography from the serving staff (and, of course, the dinner guests themselves), all of it is so wonderfully crafted and performed to the end of giving viewers the great beauty of the setting and the great confinement felt therein. The camera brings us into the pressure felt by Princess Di. The pearls upon her neck, reminiscent of a noose, are so tactile, suffocating, and rich in symbolism. Diana then rips them off, sending pearls scattering about the table and into her dish. As if that wasn’t enough, she subsequently starts eating them with her soup! All to the in-setting string quartet! Simply stunning. Easily one of my favorite scenes in any work of cinema.
I confess my initial skepticism in going to see Spencer in the theater. It’s not a biopic, but a fable, inspired by Princess Diana caged in the dreadful Christmas traditions of English monarchy. An iffy, if dense, subject matter, and not one that immediately plays to my normal interests. However, as with any story, the journey lies as much in the narration as the narrative, and that is where Spencer truly shines. Any number of the stylistic choices taken up by the film could have spoiled the experience, either for not committing enough or for being over-the-top. However, for every aspect of the film’s sound execution, Spencer is one of those rare films that is easily accessible while bordering on avant-garde. In summation, Spencer earns a 5/5 rating from me and is one of the must-see movies of the year.
Barnard Street Tattler 