Spencer

TLDR: Kristen acted with her whole pussy and ass y'all best believe she deserves the shit out of that Oscar nom and all other awards I have been putting off this review since I've seen it in theatres and only now, after rewatching it in order to celebrate Kristen Stewart's well deserved first Oscar Nomination am I ready to write about this film. I remember when her casting was announced and everyone's horror and doubt that Kristen Stewart could pull this off and my anxiety and fear for her- if she did less than perfect she would be crucified and her career would be over, a flop, which considering her other recent charity work films, this was not a vision too far from becoming true. However the moment the first looks dropped, the poster, and the trailer (when she uttered the words "They don't") I knew that this was going to be something special and had the potential to be a career-defining role. Spencer as a film is a slowburn, romanticized, surreal time capsule of the aftermath of a marriage crumbling into the ground, as Kristen's Diana tries to figure out her identity within the mindfield of being married within the Royal Family. Outside of my Kristen bias, I understand how the pacing could be seen as slow or 'boring' for the lack of drama but that's not what this is about- it is about experiencing an inkling, an imagination of what the headspace is of someone as mysterious and complicated as Lady Diana. And this is where Kristen shines in her range and ability to play these solitary characters full of intrigue (Personal Shopper probably the closest parallel). The way she uses her voice and paces her words to create double meanings behind what she says feels similar to some of Diana's interviews, how she switches from being complacent to the restraints on her yet tries to find acts of defiance through wardrobe changes, what she says, being late, sneaking out, etc. Moments like the Pearl/Dinner scene, Pool Table Scene, the Last Montage and literally any moment she's in the bathroom feels suffocating, surreal and captivating. One of the most important aspects of the plot is her relationship (aside from Sally Hawkins of course) with the past and her childhood: "Gosh, how could I get lost in a place where I used to play?". The symbolism of stripping her father's old coat, wanting to get it fixed, trying get inside her old home to find her sense of self, and later redressing the scarecrow with her older clothes, working towards getting back her freedom and independence as she takes William and Harry away from the Royal family hunting trip from people who couldn't care less about how or who she actually is. And of course the way she sees herself in the past of Anne Boleyn (even if on the nose), ripping off the pearls that have been metaphorically choking her for years at this point. The score and cinematography are simply gorgeous. I love the play between cool and warm tones throughout the film, when the lighting would change from warm and cozy then we would get glimpses of reality through the bright and cool-toned shots. Or whenever we see Diana looking in the mirrors, that insane bathroom shower, the use of red, and just how it was filmed gives an overall dreamy and surreal quality from pale pastels to warm golden colors. The score was wild and dysfunctional, Jonny Greenwood works so well at building anxiety, tension, working from sadness to confidence and strength is insane. Ramblings aside, I am so proud of Kristen Stewart for delivering a performance of a lifetime. She deserves it for how she carried this film, and it feels like such a win considering how much shit she has gotten over the years because Twilight; this Oscar nom feels like karmic retribution over the SAG/BAFTA snubs, the overall doubt of her talent by the general public, sessed fans who put her down in comparison to and the * stans who targeted Kristen to hell. This recognition is long overdue and she acted with her whole pussy out I am seconds away from renewing my Adobe subscription to make Spencer edits. (I swear each rewatch I will probably find something new and can write a whole paragraph review each time.)