I didn’t know much about Princess Diana before going into this film, but I knew she was a deeply celebrated and loved figure. Her being royalty, I didn’t think I would ever be able to understand her or her world, much less connect with any of it. However, I was completely wrong. “Spencer” is an incredibly intimate and haunting film, and one of my favorite pictures of the year.

Though it may feature royalty whose lavish lifestyles are beyond dreams, we see how all that splendor can be suffocating. When you have such a down to earth and human person as Diana in that kind of environment, you can really see her being caged. That feeling of being trapped, forced to show the world emotions that you are not feeling, and the need to rebel against it are all ideas that I deeply felt.

The world that she inhabited was not only infused with immeasurable wealth, but also long-standing tradition and protocols. Diana contrasted all of that, she refused to follow protocols, didn’t care for the prestige, and valued authenticity. This invariably created tension within the royal family that invades nearly every scene in the film, even during tender moments she has alone with her children. Throughout the film you see her struggle to lead a life as a mother, as a wife, and simply as herself. Because of this, as the film goes on, you root for her and begin to develop a deep connection with her that is quite powerful.

Princess Diana is known as the “People’s Princess” which makes a lot of sense after seeing this film because she is more like a mother or a friend than what you might conceive royalty to be like. She was also flawed. There are parts in this film that show Diana struggling with mental illness and eating disorders. Things that the royal family wanted to hide rather than help.

On the level of craft, this is an exquisite film. From the camerawork, cinematography, editing, music, and production design, everything is immaculate.

Kristen Stewart completely embodies Princess Diana, and is the best performance she has given in her incredible career. Kristen is also the perfect casting choice for a character like this. Like Diana, Stewart has had her own struggles with media and paparazzi and having to be a certain way that she may not be entirely comfortable with.

Director Pablo Larrain does an incredible job portraying Diana. Larrain’s previous films show how interested he is with women who are trapped and how they struggle to break free. In “Spencer”, his camera is incredibly close to Diana, you always feel the walls closing in on her and get a sense of that suffocation.

I highly recommend you take the chance to see this film, even if you know little to nothing about Princess Diana.

Director: Pablo Larraín
Screenplay: Steven Knight
Stars: Kristen Stewart
Cinematography: Claire Mathon
Editing: Sebastián Sepúlveda
Composer: Johnny Greenwood