Hamnet review

HAMNET: 

CHLOE ZHAO CRAFTS A BEAUTIFUL AND HEARTBREAKING ORIGIN OF ONE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S MOST FAMOUS PLAYS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in Hamnet

 

            William Shakespeare comes to the screen like never before in Hamnet, the new film from writer-director Chloé Zhao (The Rider, Nomadland, Eternals) and produced by Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Lincoln, The Post) and Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall/Spectre, 1917). The film is based on the novel of the same name by Maggie O’Farrell who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Zhao and is a fictionalized dramatization of the inspiration behind William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. 

            Aside from seeing the trailer a few times in theaters, I came into this movie somewhat cold as I had never read the book and my knowledge of it came from what was shown in the trailer. I thought it looked good though it wasn’t something I wasn’t super excited to go see or anything like that, I was going to see this regardless given the talents involved. 

            Well, I have to say Hamnet exceeded my expectations, this is a really damn good movie with Zhao back in her zone after her polarizing Marvel venture with 2021’s Eternals (I thought that film was okay FYI). Like I said, haven’t read the book so I’m not sure how faithful this film version is, but as a movie I was very impressed by it on both a technical and emotional level. 

            The film follows Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley-Wild Rose, Wicked Little Letters, The Bride!) and her husband and playwright William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal-All of Us Strangers, Gladiator II, The Beatles – A Four Film Cinematic Event) whose relationship is greatly impacted following the tragic death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe-Peter Pan & Wendy). However, what emerges from this tragedy is the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet. 

            The film also stars Emily Watson (Punch-Drunk Love, Corpse Bride, The Theory of Everything) as Mary Shakespeare, Joe Alwyn (The Favourite, Boy Erased, The Brutalist) as Bartholomew Hathaway, David Wilmot (Anna Karenina, Calvary, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) as John Shakespeare, and Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place 1 and 2, Ford v. Ferrari, No Sudden Move) as Hamlet. 

            Overall, Hamnet is a poignant and powerful movie that will surely be a strong contender during awards season and rightfully so. One thing I thought was very interesting about the film is that it actually focuses more on Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes rather than Shakespeare himself which after seeing it was the right call. 

The best aspect of this film is easily the performances particularly from Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, especially the former. I haven’t seen much of Jessie Buckley aside from movies like The Courier, but I thought she was magnificent as Agnes who carries the entire film’s emotional weight on her back.

She really sells this woman who’s going through grief because of the death of her son and her husband is out in London unable to support her and begins to lose grasp on what she loves. Buckley brings the waterworks and my eyes were glued to the screen in just about every scene she’s in. 

Paul Mescal is also great as William Shakespeare and is a strong contender for a Best Supporting Actornomination with his portrayal of an ambitious Shakespeare who also feels the guilt of not always being there for his family. It’s a more human and relatable look at Shakespeare as a person rather than an artist and showing layers to him that aren’t often depicted, Mescal is beyond pitch perfect as a tortured artist, the fact that it’s William Shakespeare he’s playing is just an added bonus. 

The movie is also beautifully shot with outstanding cinematography and production design whether it’s the old town villages of England or the calm and atmospheric forests. Sure, it isn’t a grand epic or anything like that, but it looks great on the big screen. 

It’s a solid film throughout, but the last 15 minutes is cinematic perfection and ends on this poignant albeit hopeful note that is hard not to get teary-eyed at. I do not want to give anything away about it, but it’s easily the emotional highlight of the entire film and is best to just watch the movie and see it for yourself. 

Hamnet is a wonderful return to form for Chloé Zhao with some of the best performances I’ve seen all year, beautiful and heartbreaking storytelling, and easily the best ending to any 2025 film. Whether you’re a Shakespeare expert or casual admirer (Like me), this is one not to be missed.