Diana (2021) Parent Guide

Despite the celebrity spotlight that surrounded her in life and in death, Princess Diana remains something of an enigma. Was she a naïve young woman who was deceived by her dour husband and chose to dedicate herself to her children and charitable causes? Was she a clever strategist who wielded her celebrity like a weapon against the Prince of Wales and the Royal Family? Was she a mentally unstable woman whose eating disorders gave her the illusion of control over her life? Or was she a victim, consumed by the media machine that gave her a glittering global image?

Since her death in 1996, books, magazine articles, and TV specials have explored the life and legacy of the People’s Princess. Just as the coronavirus pandemic began, a Broadway musical tried to do the same thing. A performance of Diana is now available to stream on Netflix and you can judge how well you think it succeeded. Do yourself a favor and keep your expectations low.

Broadway shows are designed to “play to the back row”. The message needs to be simple and clear and easily grasped even by people sitting in the nosebleed seats. That makes subtlety and nuance nearly impossible and means that Diana’s story is told here in the broad strokes that we already know.

There are a few bright spots in this bland production, particularly when song lyrics stumble across some insight. As the chorus sings, “She’s the best girl for the worst job in England”, later describing her marriage as “a fairytale born in hell”. The songs are highly expository, illuminating character motivations and backstories, and nimbly moving the story along. They’re not particularly memorable, but they are lively enough. The show also manages to project character growth for Diana, portraying her evolution from clueless nineteen year old to sophisticated woman who understands the power of celebrity. All other characters remain tissue paper thin.

Unless you are absolutely devoted to the memory of Princess Diana, there’s really no reason to sit through a very long two hours of unremarkable singing and dancing. The acting is passable, the wigs could be better, and the staging is forgettable. There is a surprising amount of negative content, including a fair bit of sexual innuendo and frequent excuses for adultery. There is also more profanity than expected and over a dozen substitutions for the sexual expletive along with one real one. The PG-13 rating is deserved and this movie shouldn’t be watched by children. I can’t imagine teens wanting to watch it either, since they have no memory of the frenzy surrounding the late princess. If you collect Diana-related memorabilia – if you’re holding on to books, dishtowels, and mugs emblazoned with her image – this is your cup of tea. But for everyone else scrolling through Netflix’s catalogue in search of a bit of history and a lot of scandal, The Crown is a far better choice.