Hamnet is a tragic love story, about the events that inspired Hamlet. We are told right at the beginning of the film that the names Hamlet and Hamnet were interchangeable.
The story unfolds slowly as it traces the relationship between William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and Agnes (Jessie Buckley). William, here, isn’t yet the figure history remembers. He seems to be a massive disappointment to his parents, who want him to pursuit a different career path other than a playwright.
Agnes is the opposite. She is intuitive, and grounded in nature. Connected to the world around her in a way that feels almost otherworldly. She understands plants, animals, seasons — the things that most people ignore. Her mother was rumored to be a forest witch — gifts that she seemed to have inherited.
William and Agnes fall in love, and get married. They begin to have children, one of whom is named Hamnet (Jacob Jupe), who is said to have inspired the play Hamlet. When Hamnet dies, Agnes and William don’t process it the same way. This loss dramatically transforms their relationship. And it becomes a story of loss and suffering.
Jessie Buckley’s performance carries the film— delivering a career-defining portrayal of pain and grief. The kind of performance that feels raw, and intimate. The Academy Award for best actress was well deserved.
The cinematography by Łukasz Żal is stunning. The countryside isn’t just a backdrop. You feel the air, the soil, the quiet weight of the landscape. It grounds the story in something tangible, something real. A truly outstanding achievement.
The film is based on a historical fiction novel by Maggie O’Farrell—blending history and fiction in a way that never feels forced. Chloé Zhao co-writes and directs with a steady hand, allowing the story to unfold at its own pace. She doesn’t rush it, lets the grief sit, and once it settles—it stays with you. Chloe Zhao continues to deliver excellent, thought-provoking films.
Hamnet is about how the tragic loss of a child reshapes these characters. How grief fractures everything around them. And how art becomes a conduit for healing. Hamlet, the play may be immortal. But the grief and pain behind it was real.
HAMNET. (2025). FOUR OUT OF FIVE POPCORN BAGS🍿🍿🍿🍿
Rod Rioja 