SPENCER REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

There’s been an increasing interest in the life of the British Royal Family ever since the release of the drama series, The Crown, in 2016, on the streaming service, Netflix. The latest series saw Olivia Colman in the role of Queen Elizabeth II and focused on her son, Prince Charles, and his marriage to Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales, who was portrayed by Emma Corrin. Corrin was widely lauded for her performance as the late Diana as she captured her personality and mannerisms perfectly and received numerous awards including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Earlier this year, it was announced that Kristen Stewart would be taking on the role of Diana in a drama film directed by Pablo Larraín. Many were unsure about the casting as Stewart is American and, despite its conclusion almost a decade ago, is still remembered for her role as Bella Swan in the Twilight saga. However, shortly after the announcement, pictures were released of Stewart as Diana and she really resembled her. Because of this, Spencer quickly became one of my most anticipated films of this year.


The marriage of Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) and Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) has long since grown cold. Though rumours 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.


Unsurprisingly, the standout aspect of Spencer is Stewart’s portrayal of Diana and delivers her most impressive and best dramatic performance yet. It’s a delicate and profound performance that is sure to see Stewart recognised by the Academy next year. Although she lacks screen time, Sally Hawkins provides a memorable supporting role as Diana’s dresser and confidante, Maggie. Both Timothy Spall as Equerry Major Alistair Gregory and Sean Harris as the Royal Head Chef, Darren McGrady, are equally as impressive. What’s most interesting about Spencer is that the members of the Royal Family, including Queen Elizabeth II (Stella Gonet), are kept mostly in the background which I think was a good decision as the film is about Diana. The only other member of the Royal Family to have significant screen time is Diana’s husband, Prince Charles. Their scenes are intense, with Diana revealing she knows about his affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, as he bought her the same pearls. While most of the film is most likely fabricated and dramatised, the tense relationship between Diana and Charles is the most authentic detail. 

In 2016, Larraín directed the drama, Jackie, which focussed on a recently widowed Jacqueline Kennedy following the shocking assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. It was a raw and powerful character study with Natalie Portman impressing with her performance as the titular former First Lady. A similar comment can be made about Spencer, which sees Diana struggling to cope with life in the Royal household. Larraín doesn’t shy away from showing viewers the darkest aspects of Diana’s life, including her struggles with bulimia and self harm, and that is what makes it such an enthralling and captivating watch throughout.

Those expecting a biopic that explores Diana's life will probably be disappointed by Spencer as it’s more of a character study and takes place over the holidays, beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Boxing Day. However, because Diana's life is well known, I can understand why Larraín chose to make a character study that explores her behaviour, her personal struggles and relationships with the Royal Family as it makes for a more insightful watch. Through Diana's closed and awkward body language, it's clear she doesn’t fit in with the Royals, however, she has a better relationship with her sons, William (Jack Nielen) and Harry (Freddie Spry). The scenes Diana shares with her sons is where Spencer is at its most heartwarming and poignant. 

Despite spending the Christmas holidays at the Queen's Sandringham Estate, a vast country house filled with countless rooms, Diana feels trapped within the strict rules set by the Royal Family. While they all indulge themselves on extravagant food in celebration of the festive holidays, Diana struggles with her bulimia and is frequently seen purging, a common symptom of the eating disorder. Those who are daily triggered may want to avoid watching Spencer as Diana's disordered eating behaviours are clearly shown. There's also a bizarre weighing machine that requires the individual to sit on a set of scales and have their weight written down with Diana revealing that the overindulgence allows the individuals to gain three pounds to prove that they’ve enjoyed themselves. It's not surprising that she ends up struggling with her bulimia as a result of the Royal Family's obsession with food. What's heartbreaking is that Diana receives no help for her eating disorder. After being sick in the bathroom, Diana frequently has members of the household staff knocking on the door telling her that dessert is ready. 

Although Diana is a captivating character study with Stewart shining with her portrayal of Diana, the film isn't without its issues. Throughout the film, Diana becomes obsessed with Anne Boleyn after finding a  book. This leads to Anne Boleyn frequently appearing as a figment of Diana's imagination throughout the film. While I can imagine that Larraín wanted to show Diana becoming delirious, the Anne Boleyn scenes felt too strange and out of place. I also think that the ending, while it concludes the film on a joyful scene, may be divisive. Fortunately, these flaws didn’t ruin my overall enjoyment of what director Pablo Larraín has created with Spencer, which is a fascinating character study with Kristen Stewart delivering her best dramatic performance yet.

8/10