Thursday, December 30, 2021

Spencer

 This is a portrait of pain. Kirsten Stewart has delivered us a heart wrenching performance as Lady Di, a woman tormented by her status, her marriage, and the overbearing staff of her mother-in-law. Diana is portrayed as someone who would like to jump out of her own skin and run away. Stewart does a remarkable job not only imitating Diana's walk and talk, but the way she tilts her head, she conveys a sense of dread, like she was recoiling from the world, a cornered animal behind the lacy veil of a fancy ornamental hat. Stewart grimaces like her pearls were actually strangling her, like they were a shock collar tightly affixed to a bad dog. She tries, as best she can, to shield her children from the royal world of ridiculous traditions and cruelty but we know how the story ends. It's a gorgeous film, cold, cruel. Stewart is deserving of her Globe nomination and I hope she wins. Catch it on streaming services. 

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