Spencer  ★★★½

BEING an Irishman I am neither enamoured or fascinated by the Royal Family.

But, as a film lover, when Pablo Larrain directs something with Kristen Stewart in the lead role I’m not going to ignore it.

And luckily I didn’t because the psychological drama Spencer is a fascinating watch.

Larrain is a Chilean director with a small but impressive filmography that includes a previous biopic, Jackie (2016), which focused on the former US President John F. Kennedy’s widow in the days between his assassination and funeral.

For Spencer, as the title suggests, Larrain and writer Steven Knight (best known for penning Locke and Eastern Promises) attempt to delve deep into the mind of the late Princess Diana.

Again the timeframe is limited, to just a couple of days in 1991 during the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas celebrations held at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

From the opening frame you should realise that the visual style of the film will not be traditional with Larrain opting to use minimal colour and contrast for a look that resembles a Hammer horror film of the early 1970s.

The other aspect of the film that may annoy many viewers is the script which chooses to present a fictional account of what may have been done and said rather than the typical reliance on conflicting claims.

In the hands of a skillful writer like Knight this works because the words and actions seem not too far from what many people would imagine could be a balanced version of the potential truth.

Stewart is frankly amazing in the lead role and will be the front-runner for this year’s Academy Award. She not only creates a strong physical resemblance but also embodies and projects what we think was the inner woman in every movement or subtle facial expression.

In keeping with Larrain’s approach, there is minimal interaction with other members of the Royal family who remain largely antagonistic towards the ‘outsider’ who at times seems like a ghost they pass right through.

Instead the majority of dialogue occurs between Diana and three key members of the Royal staff who present different views of how the family and the wider public view her personality and the public duty she has inherited through her now crumbling marriage to Prince Charles.

In many ways the entire family are presented as being captive to an oath and duty that will either embody or destroy them depending on how much they are willing to surrender.

The important roles are all played wonderfully but three of the best character actors working today – Timothy Spall as the ex-military Head of Household staff , Sally Hawkins as Diana’s favoured dresser and the great Sean Harris as the Head Chef.

Jonny Greenwood again demonstrates why he is one of cinema’s great current music composers with a haunting score.

If you at all enjoyed the 2013 biopic Diana with Naomi Watts in the title role then Spencer is definitely not for you.

Larrain and Stewart have managed to create something far more interesting in every possible way.