Spencer: Di Kills Bella
Spencer (2021)
Directed by Pablo Larraín
Starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Nielen & Freddie Spry
I expected Spencer to be a formulaic biopic about Princess Di. Instead, I got a meditative arthouse film with an impressive dramatic performance by Kristen Stewart, the actress most known for playing Bella in the Twilight films. What a pleasant surprise.
Predictable cinematic formulas can be forgiven when the subjects are my personal heroes, like Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) or Alfred Hitchcock in Hitchcock (2012). Rami Malik and Anthony Hopkins embodied these heroes so well that they made up for the films’ predictable, unimaginative plot structures.
Conversely, other than her tragic and untimely death, I knew very little about Diana, Princess of Wales. In fact, the outpouring of worldwide love following her tragic car accident in 1995 baffled me. After viewing the film’s depiction of a woman struggling with her perception of reality, (filmed with artistic flair by cinematographer Claire Mathon), I still know little about the Princess of Whales. I do, however, know that I am thoroughly impressed with actress Kristen Stewart.
I’m not familiar with the work of director Pablo Larraín, but his 2016 film Jackie starring Natalie Portman has been on my watchlist for years. If that film is as unconventionally wonderful as Spencer, then it will move up my list into the “must see” category.
At the heart of Spencer is a mother’s love for her two sons, which serves as a glowing light of compassion that breaks through the cold, rigid world of the British royal family. Stewart effortlessly vacillates between frigid and warm, and when it comes to the film’s final scene we feel like maybe she goes on to live her best life. Maybe her death is a false memory chalked up to the Mandela effect? I mean all we need is a miracle, right?
Speaking of miracles, the casting of Prince William and his brother Harry was a prodigious feat in itself. Both young actors embody the out of touch children of an out of touch monarchy. The interplay between the boys and their mother drives the story forward while other characters briefly appear on the screen. Among the most notable is Timothy Spall as Major Alistar Gregory, the man “in charge” at Sandringham—the royal residence. He is the antithesis of Diana and a great gauge for the viewer to mark her decent into madness…or possibly freedom. The other stand out is Sally Hawkins as Diana’s dresser (Yes. The royals have people dedicated to dressing them).
What makes a good biopic? Some would say learning more about the character’s beginnings, fame and ultimate demise. Others might say it’s the actor’s ability to embody the look, speech and ethos of the character. Spencer does neither, so it may not be considered a good biopic but it certainly is a great film. Engaging, sorrowful, meditative and triumphant all the while being visually stunning. Maybe what makes a good biopic is it just being a good film about someone, hero or not.
If recent biopics about my heroes Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Hitchcock (2012) are both B+’s then this film about a princess in a faraway land that I never cared about is an A.
I found the movie visual attravtive at first. It soon dwindled quickly. The antagonisitc approach to Spencer was a bold move. But a wrong one. She wasn’t anything the person portrayed in the film, worst of all… the accent was way off and so was her demeanor. I couldn’t finish the whole thing and for a movie to do that it has to be quite a dull one. Kristen isn’t the best actress.
The more accurate portrayal was The Crown’s version. Detailing every aspect of ber character. Good and bad and not just bad. This weirdly Jokeresque portrayal of Diana is weird.