What age is Spencer appropriate for?

Spencer is rated R and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 15+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film centers on Diana's bulimia shown through vomiting scenes and a self-harm incident where she cuts herself, alongside a disturbing vision of Anne Boleyn's ghost in the abandoned Park House and strong language including the word 'fuck' used 8 times.

Does Spencer have swearing or bad language?

Spencer has Strong language. The word 'fuck' is used 8 times throughout the film.

Spencer has Moderate violence. During a hunt, guests engage in clay pigeon shooting with multiple gunshots ringing out across the estate grounds.

Is Spencer scary for children?

Spencer has Moderate scary scenes. Diana's late, anxious arrival at Sandringham is scored with suspenseful music that builds unease from the opening scenes.

Is Spencer OK for Kids?

Name: Spencer
Director: Pablo Larraín
Genre: Drama
Released: 2021
Duration: 116 min
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Nielen, Freddie Spry, Jack Farthing

Drama

15+

R⭐ 6.5 / 102021 · 1h 56m

Pablo Larraín

Where to Watch

United States

Rent

Rent or Buy on Amazon

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

During a hunt, guests engage in clay pigeon shooting with multiple gunshots ringing out across the estate grounds.
Diana cuts herself in a moment of extreme personal distress, tied to references to self-harm throughout the film.
Diana has a haunting vision referencing Anne Boleyn's historical beheading by King Henry VIII, evoking graphic historical violence through dialogue and imagery rather than depiction.
A pheasant shoot sequence shows birds being shot and killed during the family hunt, which distresses Diana.
Major Gregory recounts being shot in Belfast and describes a friend being shot in the head, delivered as a verbal wartime account rather than shown on screen.

💬Language

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

The word 'f**k' is used 8 times throughout the film.
'Da**' or 'dammit' is used 2 times, and 'hell' is used 2 times.
'Bloody' is used 3 times as a British-style moderate expletive.
There is no use of slurs, but the frequency of strong profanity is notable for a period royal drama.

👻Scary Scenes

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

Diana's late, anxious arrival at Sandringham is scored with suspenseful music that builds unease from the opening scenes.
Armed constables confront Diana out in the dark grounds at night, a startling and tense encounter.
In the abandoned Park House, Diana has a disturbing encounter/vision of Anne Boleyn's ghost, blending grief and horror imagery.
The abandoned house itself is scary, with creaking floorboards and a collapsing structure adding a sense of physical danger.
During the pheasant shoot, Diana stands tensely in front of hunting rifles, creating a moment of real physical danger and dread.

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Maggie, a member of Diana's staff, confesses romantic love for her in an emotional, suggestive conversation.
There are references to Charles's affair, including him giving identical pearls to another woman, implying betrayal and infidelity rather than showing romance.
Diana references masturbation in a private, suggestive moment, though nothing is shown explicitly.
There is no on-screen kissing or dating depicted in the film.

🍺Substances

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

Diana's bulimia is a recurring and prominent theme, including repeated vomiting scenes shown on screen.
Wine and alcohol are mentioned and shown casually during formal family meals.
The eating disorder content is treated seriously and sympathetically, not glamorized, but it is graphic and repeated enough to be a significant concern for younger or vulnerable viewers.
There is no depiction of illegal drug use in the extracted content.

⚡Stimulation

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

Discordant jazz music underscores Diana's scenes of psychological distress, creating a jarring sensory experience.
The pheasant shoot sequence combines gunshots with visible animal distress, an intense sensory and emotional moment.
Diana's emotional breakdown before a formal dinner layers multiple overwhelming triggers at once.
The film ends on an exciting, cathartic note as Diana and her sons drive away singing, a lighter contrast to the intensity before it.
Sensory-sensitive children would likely find the discordant music and breakdown sequences overwhelming, though the film is not aimed at children.

Spencer — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being a quiet royal drama, parents should be aware the film contains repeated bulimia and vomiting scenes, a self-harm cutting scene, and a disturbing ghost vision of Anne Boleyn in the abandoned Park House — content more intense than the historical setting might suggest.

About Spencer

Spencer is a psychological drama imagining a few days in the life of Princess Diana during a tense Christmas at Sandringham Estate, as she struggles with the rigid expectations of royal life, an unraveling marriage, and her own mental health. The tone is somber, claustrophobic, and emotionally intense rather than action-driven, focusing on Diana's inner turmoil and eventual act of reclaiming her freedom with her sons.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

Teens 15+ can handle the film's themes, but the eating disorder content, self-harm reference, and psychological distress scenes benefit from a parent present to help contextualize and discuss, especially for viewers sensitive to mental health topics.

Family Takeaways from Spencer

What it gets right

✓The film sensitively portrays the toll of institutional pressure and mental health struggles through Diana's bulimia and breakdown scenes, treating them with gravity rather than for shock value.
✓It shows the value of authentic human connection, as seen when Maggie offers Diana genuine support and when Darren the chef shows quiet compassion despite his role.

Spencer Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes

●LGBTQ themes

Diana's marriage to Charles is portrayed as deeply troubled partly due to her awareness of his relationship with Camilla, while Diana herself is shown having romantic feelings for women, particularly in her interactions with Maggie.

Cast:Kristen StewartTimothy SpallJack NielenFreddie SpryJack Farthing