Hamnet is a new movie about the marriage of William Shakespeare and his early family life. It’s directed by Chloé Zhao, who is best known for The Eternals, even though that film didn’t show what she does best. Hamnet, however, is exactly the kind of project that plays to her strengths as a director. The result, and I’m not even going to beat around the bush on this one, is fantastic. That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone, but if this is the kind of film you like, you are going to be blown away by the story and by the performances from Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Jacobi Jupe.

I loved this film. Hamnet is quite possibly one of the best films I have seen all year, and I was a bit annoyed that nobody warned me to bring a Kleenex. So, I’m warning you to bring a Kleenex (or two) because, if you are like me, you’re going to need it.

Here’s the thing about Hamnet, the film gets so much right that the problems just fade away. If you are a fan of William Shakespeare, the Tudor era, period dramas, or romance that will break your heart, Hamnet’s story and structure are so well constructed that they immediately pull you into the lives of William and Agnes “Anne” Hathaway.

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Hamnet is a historical drama based upon the first 15 years of Agnes and William’s life together. We see them meet, fall in love, and start a family together in Stratford. It introduces us to the magic that seems to swirl around Agnes as well as the clever games their children would play, and how their family life was ultimately an inspiration for Shakespeare the writer. We also see what William and Agnes are willing to sacrifice in order to preserve the happiness of their spouse and family. The entire story becomes the emotional root of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.

First Impressions
A word of warning that while this film is based on William and Agnes’ life and the events surrounding their children, it isn’t always historically correct. The key plot points align with what we know, yet the film pulls in elements from Shakespeare’s plays in ways that show us the moments and experiences that might have inspired his plays, poetry, and sonnets. The reason this works so well is that the experiences and conflicts are filled with both the comedy and the tragedy, and you can see the DNA of his writing in those experiences, which are woven into the film so naturally that they feel organic. It feels like this is how everything must have happened to spark the stories that poured out of Shakespeare when he was writing.

The film keeps the story moving forward and makes it relatable by creating complex characters who find beauty in each other despite, or perhaps because of, the challenges that life and circumstance present. You feel the natural world around them. You understand why they do what they do. Their conflicts make sense and the ways they find resolution feel just as real.

We also get this lovely dance between the romanticized version of their life together and the bitter truth of the hardships that came with their circumstances and the period when they lived. Life wasn’t easy, but they found joy in each other and in their family. That sense of connection is everything that drives both William and Agnes and ultimately becomes the well of inspiration for the greatest writer of all time.

Focus on the Family
What’s clever about Hamnet, and you don’t even consciously realize it until this one scene in London, is that the film never names William Shakespeare in any way. There is really only one scene that does name him, and you don’t get that until closer to the end of the film. Still, we know it’s him, but by avoiding his name don’t get wrapped up in our fascination of The Bard. Instead, the focus stays on this imaginative and impulsive young man who falls madly in love with a woman who some people labeled as a forest witch because of her knowledge of herbs and natural remedies.

This also allows the film to capture the emotional truth of his transition from the young husband to the iconic playwright. It builds a parallel between the family’s grief and what is arguably considered the greatest stage play of all time.

The film also stands out in contrast to a lot of what we see today in theaters. Many modern stories feel like they’ve been softened, almost made therapeutic. Conflicts are simplified, the emotional toll of love and loss is flattened, and painful experiences are often avoided or easily resolved. This film does the opposite. It lets the pain fully exist, and the way it happens, we feel it along with the characters, which makes it feel that much more realistic. It lets the devastation land in expected ways that still feel surprising. It asks how a family survives something that crushes you, how art can rise out of that wreckage, and how that pain can translate into experiences that impact us all century after century after century. That is the terrible beauty of this film and it’s why this adaptation works.

Cast and Characters
Jessie Buckley gives Agnes a sense of mystery and magic to the story. She feels connected to nature, to superstition, to intuition, and she brings an emotional strength that becomes the backbone of her family. Her performance is layered, vulnerable, and deeply moving.

Paul Mescal plays William as a man torn between the pull of London and the comforts of home. He needs to create, and if he doesn’t, his art feels like it will literally rip its way out of him, and we get this all from a single scene and Agnes’ reaction to him. Paul Mescal’s performance is gentle but ambitious. We feel the crushing pressures around him, and his response to Jessie Buckley’s performance is sincere and believable. It feels like we are seeing a relationship develop on camera and then threaten to split apart in devastating pain.

The children aren’t background elements. They all do a great job in their roles, but Jacobi Jupe, who plays Hamnet, is so endearing that you can’t help but love the boy. Is he acting, or is he truly that sweet and wonderful? I have no idea, yet he is the spark that sets the conflict on fire in this film, and you can’t help but to adore him.

The supporting cast also includes Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn, who both highlight exactly what a supporting actor is supposed to do. They don’t steal the show. Instead, they help create a realistic world in which both William and Agnes feel like the center of this small little universe.

The Problems
So, I often say that even the best films have problems, and it would be insincere of me not to mention the few that stood out for me in Hamnet. The film comes in at over two hours, and there are a few times when scenes linger just a little too long, and the film could have easily been cut by about 15 or 20 minutes.

There are also some obvious moments in which the director shows us, point blank, which famous lines of dialogue or scenes from Shakespeare’s plays come out of certain moments of conflict, pain, and joy in his life. Some of the historical elements are also moved around to elevate the story, although I don’t think most people will care because the overall impact is wonderful.

Finally, I think the hardest thing for some viewers will be the slow build-up, the family drama, and the lack of action because we have been trained to expect fast-paced storytelling in our films.

Is It Ticket Worthy?
Is Hamnet ticket worthy? For me, obviously yes. If you love cinema that asks you to feel something real alongside the characters on screen, and you enjoy period pieces and historicals, you’re likely to enjoy this film. If you are a Shakespeare buff, this feels like one of the best films about him that I have ever seen, although I didn’t realize that until about the halfway point in the movie. This is an art film with an emotional story that cuts into the deepest parts of the human experience, and it’s a movie that asks you to sit with it, to let it breathe, to let the emotional weight settle into you as you watch.

If none of this sounds like your cup of tea, skip this one. The story unfolds slowly, and the action is likely not what you’re expecting if you prefer a fast-paced, sharply told film. If you are not a fan of period pieces without the conveniences of modern life, this isn’t a film for you.

Final Thoughts
So, Hamnet! Are you thinking of seeing it? Are you a Shakespeare fan? Let me know in the chat below. Tell me your favorite film about Shakespeare or your favorite play. Have you ever been to the Globe? Let’s talk about it.

If you enjoyed this review, please give it a like and subscribe for more. You can also visit my YouTube channel at @ErinUnderwood for more videos.

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If you’d like to read HAMNET, you can use my Amazon Associate links:

• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (paperback book): https://amzn.to/49ZQ5Fh
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, read by Ell Potter (audiobook): https://amzn.to/4pldiX8
• “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare (paperback book): https://amzn.to/4pldiX8