Spencer

(Germany, Chile, UK, US / 2021 / Directed by Pablo Larraín)

Arriving tardy to the Queen’s Christmas festivities at Sandringham estate, Diana is dreading a weekend full of tradition, formality, and empty propriety. The fairy-tale façade of her marriage has crumbled, her every move is being tracked by a former Black Watch officer (Timothy Spall), and she’s longing for younger, freer days. Gasping for breath, she savors whatever time she can secure with her sons, and she finds stolen moments of real reflection with her personal attendant (Sally Hawkins).

Elegantly balancing history and conjecture, Larrain’s uniquely atmospheric, intimate approach slides seamlessly between internal strife and external strain. Focusing on its heroine alone, it gets to the meat of what was tormenting the People’s Princess better than a simple historical retelling. This is seductive, uninhibited filmmaking, and with Stewart’s febrile, gutsy performance at its center, it packs an emotional kick.

R / 1 hr 51 mins.

“After the last season of The Crown, one might wonder if there's room for another story about her…
Larraín's film proves there still is.” – The Atlantic