Review of Diana (2013) by Pia K — 10 Jan 2017

I'm surprised by all the negative reviews on this film. Watts delivered a great performance showing Princess Diana as a woman in love - the naivete, innocence, passion, and ultimately the fall. As a reviewer who had no interest in the real Diana, nor any deeper knowledge of her public and private life except for the fact that she was covered by the paparazzi, I enjoyed this portrayal of a woman who was struggling to "find a way" to make love work in the midst of many different social, racial, and political challenges. Though the film does not necessarily go deep into those areas since it is a narrative, dramatic film, the barriers were high, and Diana's struggle to simply be a woman who wanted to be with a man she loved was portrayed in an emotionally rich manner by Watts (and likely due to the direction of Oliver Hirschbiegel). I've seen Naomi Watts take emotion over the edge, but her portrayal here showed abandon, playfulness and vulnerability at just the right pitch. I think the euphoria of love, as well as the hopeless disappointment involved in romantic relationships are shown in just the right tone - not too melodramatic, but with a good amount of naturalism - like a Balzac or Dreiser novel.

I guess I'm part of the minority who watched this film, not because I had any interest in Princess Diana, but rather because I wanted to see a decent romantic film/dramatic film, starring a great actress whose films I can bet with some certainty will deliver a good performance.

If you're expecting anything more - like an accurate, historical biopic on Diana; or some kind of social-agenda-driven film about Princess Diana's accomplishments, this film may disappoint you.

But if you were not a Princess Diana groupie in real life, but want to see good acting, a good story, and the rise and fall of two characters in love, then I think this film will be thoroughly satisfying. It certainly produced a few tears in me, though, again, I had no interest in Princess Diana.

And it's worth seeing the BBC interview the real Princess Diana did which is available on youtube. Watts did a great exterior representation of Diana; though, honestly, I was more impressed by the internal heartbreak as portrayed by Watts through the film.

Good songs on the soundtrack as well - Bach, among others.