‘Spencer’ Review: Pablo Larraín’s Allegorical, Unconventional Princess Diana Biopic
Spencer begins with the credits “fable from a true tragedy,” announcing from the start the nature of Chilean director Pablo Larraín’s allegorical character study of Diana Spencer, better known to the world as Diana, Princess of Wales. Once again centering around an enigmatic female protagonist as he did with earlier films such as Ema and Jackie, Larraín uses Spencer to focus on the complexity of Princess Di’s perspective as a woman caught between the life she wishes to lead and the institutions that repress her. Never the filmmaker to follow typical narrative formulas or fulfill conventional biopic expectations, Larraín’s Spencer chooses to explore Diana’s psychological state of mind during a pivotal time in her life rather than focus on actual events in the icon’s later years.
Spencer introduces its titular character driving herself through the English countryside in a top-down convertible, inexorably drawing allusions to the princess’s untimely demise and instilling the dread of impending doom that permeates throughout the rest of the film. Portraying the late Diana on-screen is thirty-one-year-old Kristen Stewart, in arguably the best performance of the actress’s long and varied career. The film’s plot intentionally skips the obligations of a life-spanning biopic in favor of a tight narrative that takes place over just three days during the Christmas Holidays in 1991, when Diana makes the crucial decision to leave her husband Charles, Prince of Wales. Taking place in the rural seclusion of Sandringham House, where the Royal Family traditionally spends the holidays, Diana struggles to conform to the rigid standards of the Monarchy and suppress the discontent she feels with her situation. Avoiding the fierce scrutiny of the elders of the Royal Family, Diana turns to her young sons and the staff of The Crown to keep her grounded in the real-life she wishes to lead.
As with the rest of Larraín’s diverse filmography, Spencer finds much success through its compelling crafts, stylistically elevating the film’s unconventional perspective to a near modern-day gothic horror. French cinematographer Claire Mathon, best known for the 2019 films Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Atlantics, shot Spencer on 16mm film, adding a gauzy, dreamlike quality to the often sweeping images captured to reflect the formality of the royal landscapes. Scoring the film is Radiohead lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, who employs a beautiful yet anxiety-inducing strings-heavy soundtrack that assists in conveying Diana’s frame of mind. Spencer relies on the Princess of Wale’s status as a style icon of the world by utilizing the film’s costuming in crucial manners - both restricting and freeing the Princess in her surroundings as the film progresses. Responsible for the costuming is two-time Oscar winner Jacqueline Durran, who worked with high and low brands from Chanel to Levi’s to pay homage to Princess Di’s style. The strong crafts in Spencer work greatly in supporting the film’s overall tone and idiosyncratic narrative and will undoubtedly receive much positive attention as the film is released throughout the world.
Spencer is elevated by amazing acting performances that reinforce the unconventionality of the film’s storytelling. In the role of Princess Di, Stewart anchors the film in a transformative role that is dynamic and unexpected. While Stewart has received critical acclaim in the past for films such as Clouds of Sils Maria and Certain Women, audiences have never seen her in such a vulnerable yet fierce role where her talents are on absolute display as they are in Spencer. Garnering awards buzz as soon as the film premiered in Venice at the beginning of September, Stewart is well on her way to receiving her first Oscar nomination for this unforgettable performance as one of modern history's most influential women. Other significant performances in the film include Sally Hawkins as the Royal Dresser for Diana and Sean Harris as the Royal Head Chef, working in their supporting roles to provide spiritual guidance and emotional support for the Princess. Without such able-bodied acting performances to support the film’s non-conforming storytelling, Spencer could have easily become lost in its cryptic narrative.
Instead of presenting a typical linear biopic following its protagonist's journey from Diana Spencer to the Princess of Wales, Larraín uses Spencer to explore Diana’s unique spirit in contrast to her intensely controlled life within her marriage and position in the Royal Family. Spencer highlights how Diana was celebrated during her life for her warm, girlish essence that contradicted the austere public perception of the British monarchy. Constantly told by others what she is supposed to be, Diana in the film rebels against expectations through her commitment to a simple life and being a loving mother, instead of simply a face of The Crown. Larraín’s direction never shies away from the truths of Princess Di’s situation, platforming the emotional and psychological suffering brought on by the stress of her situation and further humanizing her character. Always circling back to Diana’s fate, the film’s screenplay platforms its gothic undertones through intriguing correlations between tragic female icons of British history in unexpected fashions.
For some viewers, Spencer may serve as an unsatisfying biopic due to its fabrication of a turning point in Princess Diana’s life as she steps away from her royal life. However, Larraín’s great work can provide much insight into the tragic and amazing figure that Princess Di was during her lifetime. Focusing on the late Princess’s psyche while she lived through an impossible situation allows audiences to get closer to the icon’s true headspace and connect with her misfortune in a manner never experienced since her death twenty-five years ago. A masterful work in craft, performance, and direction Spencer is a must-see film of the fall season.
Spencer will be released in U.S theaters on Friday, November 5th.
4/5