After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. A healer, Agnes must find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her devastating loss.k says:
Chuck says:
We’ve gotten no further in understanding death and what might come afterwards since William Shakespeare posed the question whether it’s better “to be or not to be,” in “Hamlet.” It is the mystery at the core of the Bard’s most famous play as well as Chloe Zhao’s “Hamnet,” her adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel. Sumptuously rendered and unflinching in its examination of grief, the film proves to be an exhausting, cathartic experience, driven by the filmmaker’s precise eye and two performances that delve deeply into the most painful of emotions.
Zhao takes a very deliberate approach in telling the story, a reflection of the slower pace of 16th century England. Initially off-putting, it proves a seductive technique as it allows us time to drink in its lush natural and manmade environment. This is evident from the first shot, as we see Anges (Jessie Buckley) sleeping in a deep forest, curled up in the exposed roots of a mighty tree. Attuned to all that nature gives us and our deep connection to it, she’s seen as something of a witch by those in her community, clinging to old ways rather than embracing more modern ways.
As such, she’s not seen as an acceptable match for any young man. Yet that doesn’t keep William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) from being drawn to her, despite his parents’ (Emily Watson and David Wilmot) objections. However, when Agnes reveals that she is pregnant, a quick marriage is arranged and she and Will set up house, eventually having three children, Susanna (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), and twins, Judith and Hamnet (Olivia Lynes and Jacobi Jupe).
Their home life is typical, having its ups and downs. The children are happy and curious, and Agnes is an attentive loving mother. Will loves them as well but longs to pursue his passion of writing plays, something he’s drawn to London to practice, taking him away for long periods of time. It’s during one of his absences that Hamnet falls ill and dies. His parents’ reaction to this event proves divisive, as Agnes is inconsolable, while Will flees to London to immerse himself in his work.
The remainder of the movie puts each of these approaches under the microscope, it culminating at the Globe Theater during the first performance of “Hamlet,” witnessed by Agnes in the audience, her husband in the wings. The result is the most heart-wrenching moment to grace the screen in 2025, a profoundly moving moment in which both are able to take the first steps towards healing, symbolically bidding farewell to their lost child, as his stage counterpart sheds his mortal coil.
Buckley’s commitment to portraying the kind of paralyzing grief that consumes Agnes is astonishing. Captivating from beginning to end, the actress cuts a powerful path throughout, creating a woman to be reckoned with. That she is so strong makes her resulting misery all the more effective, the actress equal to the task of conveying her debilitating grief, as well as a convincing degree of hope in the end. Mescal pulls off the impressive feat of simply holding his own with his co-star. An actor of lesser presence would likely have been eclipsed by Buckley’s performance, but he wisely dials things back, give an effective reactive turn.
“Hamnet” proves to be a cleansing experience, a film that dares to examine the impact and fallout of any parents’ worst nightmare. Zhao and her cast provide us with the opportunity to face this particular fear and powerfully shares with the viewer an avenue towards coping with it. It is a gift we may not wish to receive but in the end are all the better for it.
3 1/2 Stars
