“Diana” covers the last three years of Princess Diana’s (Naomi Watts) life, and focuses mainly on her love affair with heart surgeon Hasnat Kahn (Naveen Andrews). Walking into the theatre with high hopes and expectations, I was sorely disappointed. It is ironic that Diana reportedly hated the tabloids so much, because if tabloid magazines ever created a movie, this would be it.
Watts does a fine job as Diana. She honestly didn’t have much to work with, though, considering the script’s lack of character development. A shout-out goes out to the makeup artists and hair stylists, though, as the film’s plodding pace made it easier to focus on the princess’s eyeliner than the words coming out of her mouth.
The film shows several of Diana’s international trips, but after comforting three different sick children, Watt’s Diana couldn’t help but come off as inauthentic. In short, the trips look like media stunts instead of the genuinely charitable trips they really were. Other than a few scenes in which Watts puts up a show addressing issues of international affairs, child hunger and poverty, her Diana doesn’t appear to be very aware or involved.
Moreover, many people may remember the real Diana as a loving mother, and one would think that the writers would want to focus on this major aspect of her life. But aside from the occasional and abrupt Will and Harry references, Diana isn’t shown as a mother at all. In fact, the boys in question are only seen once in passing.
Diana’s love scenes with Hasnat are unoriginal, uninteresting and unbelievable. The constant cheesy montages, which picture Watts and Andrews frolicking on the beach and laughing in a speeding car, make you feel like you’re stuck in a bad rom-com. Having the most famous woman in the world submit to a man so easily and so often was a bit unsettling.
Ultimately, “Diana” doesn’t do Princess Di justice, tarnishing the memory of a truly elusive woman and mother, and putting a standard rom-com chick in her place.
Grade: C Rating & Runtime: PG-13, 113 minutes See if you liked: “The Iron Lady”
