"Here, in this house, there is no future. Past and the present are the same thing."
I'm very late on this but I have free time now!
During her Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, Diana Spencer, struggling with mental health problems, decides to end her decade-long marriage to Prince Charles. At the beginning of Spencer, we're told this is a fable from a tragic tale. Though we may not know the full story from those three days, what Spencer manages to do is extraordinary. This film is brilliant from start to finish. Diana's story has become increasingly popular within the past few years, especially with season four of The Crown. Some may be getting fatigued from the story, but I am not. We haven't seen anything like this just yet. Steven Knight hasn't written something as grand as this before. It's a piercing screenplay that digs right to the core and guts you out. Pained, serene, and ever so heartbreaking, it's a roller coaster of emotions. Believe it or not, this is a pretty bizarre film as well. The lavish lifestyle and the activities and expectations that encompass the holidays may feel foreign to most (I would hope so), but it turns into a haunting story as it crosses between reality and surrealism. Though fairly easy to follow, we can't be for certain what's real and not in a few scenes. In a few sections, it does run a bit in circles and repeats the same things. Shortly, they pick up and go back on track. Pablo Larraín was a master when it came to 2016's biopic Jackie. Here, he's even more of a revelation. Beautifully directed, his voice stands out. There are many visions that come clear through his direction that no one else would have dared to seek out. It seems that he's very interested in heavy-handed, character-driven biopics, so far about female figures, and I cannot wait to see what he might do next if he continues this route. Even if that's not the plan, anything else I'd love to see.
Outshining the direction is Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Diana. This is absolutely incredible. We know about Twilight and all those roles she had during that phase which didn't go over very well, mainly due to the movies she was attached to. You cannot say she's a bad actress because there are many roles of hers that she is very good in. Absolutely this is her best work! She nails the accent and all of the little mannerisms. Because of how intimate it is, we are completely in her shoes. We see the full range of emotions. Though the dramatic monologues drew me in (and literally everything), my favorite parts came from her with the kids. You see the light inside of her shine through and it's a wholesome few minutes. Truly a transformative performance that is completely captivating. Even the smaller performances from Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, and Sean Harris are very good. Look plays a big part in the story in film. The costumes, as beautiful as they are, become an antagonist for Diana and us. The set design is very extravagant but becomes a dizzying maze from how excessive it is to the common eye. The most striking part is the cinematography. Claire Mathon outdoes herself with the dreamy look that puts us in a new world. You can tell it's all done on film and I wish we had more films that look like this, however, only Mathon could do what she did. Another interesting aspect is Jonny Greenwood's score. It's unconventional for this type of film. It turns into something avant-garde and jazzy. I don't know how he pulled it off, but it's memorable is very good. There's so much I could say about Spencer and praise it for. It's one of the best films of the year and it's because of the dedication to Diana's memory that pulls it together. If you get the chance it see this, please do. It's rewarding in every way possible.
I'm very late on this but I have free time now!
During her Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, Diana Spencer, struggling with mental health problems, decides to end her decade-long marriage to Prince Charles. At the beginning of Spencer, we're told this is a fable from a tragic tale. Though we may not know the full story from those three days, what Spencer manages to do is extraordinary. This film is brilliant from start to finish. Diana's story has become increasingly popular within the past few years, especially with season four of The Crown. Some may be getting fatigued from the story, but I am not. We haven't seen anything like this just yet. Steven Knight hasn't written something as grand as this before. It's a piercing screenplay that digs right to the core and guts you out. Pained, serene, and ever so heartbreaking, it's a roller coaster of emotions. Believe it or not, this is a pretty bizarre film as well. The lavish lifestyle and the activities and expectations that encompass the holidays may feel foreign to most (I would hope so), but it turns into a haunting story as it crosses between reality and surrealism. Though fairly easy to follow, we can't be for certain what's real and not in a few scenes. In a few sections, it does run a bit in circles and repeats the same things. Shortly, they pick up and go back on track. Pablo Larraín was a master when it came to 2016's biopic Jackie. Here, he's even more of a revelation. Beautifully directed, his voice stands out. There are many visions that come clear through his direction that no one else would have dared to seek out. It seems that he's very interested in heavy-handed, character-driven biopics, so far about female figures, and I cannot wait to see what he might do next if he continues this route. Even if that's not the plan, anything else I'd love to see.
Outshining the direction is Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Diana. This is absolutely incredible. We know about Twilight and all those roles she had during that phase which didn't go over very well, mainly due to the movies she was attached to. You cannot say she's a bad actress because there are many roles of hers that she is very good in. Absolutely this is her best work! She nails the accent and all of the little mannerisms. Because of how intimate it is, we are completely in her shoes. We see the full range of emotions. Though the dramatic monologues drew me in (and literally everything), my favorite parts came from her with the kids. You see the light inside of her shine through and it's a wholesome few minutes. Truly a transformative performance that is completely captivating. Even the smaller performances from Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, and Sean Harris are very good. Look plays a big part in the story in film. The costumes, as beautiful as they are, become an antagonist for Diana and us. The set design is very extravagant but becomes a dizzying maze from how excessive it is to the common eye. The most striking part is the cinematography. Claire Mathon outdoes herself with the dreamy look that puts us in a new world. You can tell it's all done on film and I wish we had more films that look like this, however, only Mathon could do what she did. Another interesting aspect is Jonny Greenwood's score. It's unconventional for this type of film. It turns into something avant-garde and jazzy. I don't know how he pulled it off, but it's memorable is very good. There's so much I could say about Spencer and praise it for. It's one of the best films of the year and it's because of the dedication to Diana's memory that pulls it together. If you get the chance it see this, please do. It's rewarding in every way possible.