Hamnet (2025)

By the time her film Nomadland (2020) had won her Best Picture and Best Director Oscars, Chloé Zhao had already finished her attempt at a superhero film, Eternals (2021), considered by many to be one of the most inferior in the MCU library (I know it is not good, but it is not near as bad as some of the others).

I never once thought to blame her for that and knew that her next film would demonstrate she is still a bona fide talented filmmaker. Well, I was more than correct, because after seeing Hamnet (her fifth feature film in ten years), she exceeded my expectations as someone who is truly a cinematic poet.

That description seems all the more apt, as Hamnet (based on the book by Maggie O’Farrell, who co-wrote the script with Zhao) tells the story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his relationship with his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley). Events occur that I won’t spoil that eventually lead to the writing of arguably Shakespeare’s greatest masterpiece, Hamlet.

Unlike other Shakespearean films (especially Shakespeare in Love, which I admit is not as bad as I remembered when I revisited it not long ago), the dialogue here is somewhat more modernized than you would expect (except when Shakespeare is writing/performing). It is obviously not meant at all to be in the same vein as Shakespeare in Love, because that film at least tried to have you smiling a bit by the end. That will not be the case in Hamnet. Simply put, it is a triumphant tragedy.

Except for Terrence Malick, I can’t think of any other director who knows how to shoot a film outside. There is no sense at all that there are staged lights, even when the film takes us indoors with only the light coming in from the window or from a candle. The way the camera is set up and the staging of the whole scene reminded me of the works of Ford and Ozu.

The performances are spellbinding all around. Mescal’s Shakespeare is more a troubled man than just a legendary mythical figure we now think of. Emily Watson also does (as always) solid work as Shakespeare’s mother. Perhaps the most surprising to me was the performances of the child actors. Bohdi Rae Breathnach and Olivia Lynes are remarkable as daughters Susanna and Judith (respectively), but it is young Jacobi Jupe (little brother of actor Noah Jupe, also in the film) who stands out among nearly everyone else.

I say nearly only because of the performance that is more than likely winning an Oscar, and that is for Jessie Buckley. She has her moments of animalistic agony (you will know them when you hear them) while also moments of silent suspense keep your hair on edge (especially in the last twenty minutes or so). She is nothing short of galvanic.

Parents, the film is PG-13 due to “some strong sexuality”. Said sexuality is really brief, although there is some non sexual nudity that occurs with a birth scene. I feel this could bore anyone under High School age.

There is a point in the film where William tells Agnes the story of Orpheus going into Hades to bring out his deceased wife Eurydice, only to lose her at the end when he turns back to make sure she is there. Some of that story is sprinkled throughout the film. One of the most unique things about Hamnet is that, despite being a classic “multi-hankie” flick, it is actually rewatchable. It turns us into Orpheus in that we are unable not to turn back.

There are a few movies left for me to see this year, but it will be hard to top this one.

Overall: