The Hollywood Reporter called her work "flawless" and Deadline said the actress "wonderfully captured the essence of who" Diana was.
American actress Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Princess Diana in "Spencer" was warmly received at the Venice Film Festival, where it premiered on Friday, with critics already tipping her as a possible Oscar contender. From Chilean director Pablo Larraín, the film follows a Stewart transformed into the grieving princess who reluctantly joins the royals for a three-day Christmas gathering at Sandringham House as her marriage to Prince Charles collapses.
The film portrays Diana as a misfit, increasingly isolated and estranged from the rest of the royal family -except William and Harry-, yearning to break free from the rules and traditions that she considers hypocritical and stifling. Early critical feedback on Stewart's performance, which includes a stylish British accent, was positive. The Daily Mail called it "spectacular"; The Hollywood Reporter called her work "flawless" and Deadline said the actress "beautifully captured the essence of who" Diana was. Meanwhile, Variety wrote: "Kristen Stewart doesn't just do an impersonation (although on the impersonation level, she's excellent). She transforms; she changes her look, her rhythm, her karma."
In the film, Diana is consistently late for dinner, often abruptly getting up from the table to vomit from her eating disorder, and becoming frustrated and erratic as the maids and palace staff keep telling her what she has. to do. They refer to the royals as "they" or "hers" and Diana only speaks briefly to Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Charles, preferring instead to confide in her dresser or cook.
Larraín, whose previous films include the biopics "Jackie" and "Neruda," said he was drawn to telling Diana's story because it was a fairy tale turned upside down. "This is the story of a princess who decided to walk away from the idea of becoming a queen because she wants to be herself," he noted. Furthermore, he maintained that he embarked on a profile of Diana because he "wanted to make a film that my mother would like."
The Chilean director said that her mother adored Diana, dressed, and even did her hair like her: Lady Di's famous layered cut. But he said that as he researched Diana, "I realized that she had an enormous amount of mystery, and that mystery, combined with the magnetism that she had, creates the perfect elements for a movie." The arrival in theaters of "Spencer", which competes for the Golden Lion in Venice, is scheduled for next November.
