A sinister tone permeates the whole affair to the point where this often feels more like a haunted house movie. Indeed, this is much more of a mood piece than a historical document, which helps separate it from the more melodramatic contemporaneous portrayals of these characters. Although it can be heavy-handed at times (there are dream sequences involving Anne Boleyn), Spencer elicits plenty of emotional responses, mostly via Stewart's extraordinary performance, on which the film rests entirely.
Stewart has never been a showy actor, and that lack of showiness has never felt like more of an advantage. This is a stillness and poise to her here that deserves awards recognition.
The film around her is sometimes inscrutable and obtuse, but that appears to be the point.
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins
Director: Pablo Larraín
Running time: 116 minutes
Rating: M (Offensive language & self harm references)
Verdict: A bloodless horror movie about a messed-up family.
