uk release: 9th january

directed by: chloé zhao

a few thoughts: i need time to process. hamnet may be one of the most profound and touching tales about grief i’ve seen in a very long time. and this is coming from someone who doesn’t care about shakespeare like that. it tells the story of william shakespeare (portrayed by paul mescal) and his wife, agnes (portrayed by jessie buckley – who, frankly, deserves all awards – she was flawless), processing and grieving the loss of their 11-year old boy hamnet (portayed by jacobi jupe). it is based on the 2020 novel of the same name, written by maggie o’farrell, which is a fictional about hamnet and what happened. i don’t know where to start, to be honest. the acting was incredible. jessie buckley’s portrayal of grief was truly shattering, and i don’t remember the last time i cried this much in a cinema room. there was something truly profund and human about the performances, as the nuances and subtleties in the emotions of all characters are translated effortlessly on screen. paul mescal is terrific as william, a tortured, stressed-out playwright who is absent as he leaves london for work, leaving his family behind and not being around agnes when she needed him the most. the tension and sadness between will and agnes were palpable and impossible to shake off when immersed in the story. the colours used in the film felt very autumn-like and cold, reflecting the tone and energy of the film. the slow and steady shots of the stunning, often grey landscapes of late 1500s rural england were absolutely stunning too. the ending was fitting – hamlet is a tragedy after all, and what i loved the most about the final scenes at the globe in london is how the play enabled agnes’ grief to be shared with everyone in that space, reminding us that we’re not alone, and grief is something that can be softened by the presence of others who share the same pain. but it’s also a testament to how good a playwright shakespeare was – to be able to convey and share the depth of his grief and sorrows in a play about his son is truly powerful and beautiful. the very closing scene and shot, showing agnes’ reaction to the play is truly tear-jerking, as she feels a mixture of grief, sadness, and a sense of peace and relief that her son, in a way is immortalised in this play, as she smiles for the first time since his passing. it was a stunning way to conclude the film, as the grief is lifted by the power of storytelling and the power of community. hamnet is an incredible film that crushed me emotionally, but with a real beauty to it. completely enamored by it.

the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYcgQMxQwmk