‘Hamnet’ Review: Jessie Buckley Will Break Your Heart

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I recently saw the film Hamnet, and right at the start, it explained something fascinating: back in Shakespeare’s time, the names Hamnet and Hamlet were basically interchangeable. But director Chloé Zhao doesn’t just present that as a historical detail. She uses it to beautifully connect Shakespeare’s real son, Hamnet, with the famous play Hamlet. It’s like she’s showing us how the tragedy of losing his son deeply influenced the creation of the play, and it’s incredibly moving to see that connection made so powerfully.

Whether or not experts connect it directly to Shakespeare isn’t important. Zhao’s beautiful film focuses much more on universal themes of loss and healing than on the historical Shakespeare himself – the character is rarely even called ‘William Shakespeare’ by name. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, the movie is primarily about how a couple navigates grief differently and ultimately finds connection and emotional release through understanding each other.

Director Chloé Zhao, known for films like The Rider and Eternals, beautifully explores how a husband and wife cope with trauma in her fifth feature film. She transforms their internal struggles into something poetic and deeply moving. The film benefits greatly from the performances of its leads, who perfectly embody Zhao’s vision – a vision that could have felt distant with less skilled actors. Paul Mescal, despite his previous success, finds a role that truly showcases his talent for portraying both strength and sadness. He delivers a captivating performance as Shakespeare, fluctuating between passionate, frustrated, and vulnerable. As the film unfolds, co-edited with sensitivity by Zhao and Affonso Gonçalves, Shakespeare grows distant from his family while pursuing his writing, and even more so after the death of his son, Hamnet. Shakespeare’s suppressed pain contrasts with the raw, open grief of his wife, Agnes, powerfully portrayed by Jessie Buckley. Agnes is depicted as a woman deeply connected to nature, but this connection doesn’t shield her from – and even seems to foreshadow – her future suffering. Buckley’s performance is so intensely honest that the film, which is arguably more about Agnes than William, occasionally achieves a breathtaking quality, particularly in its emotionally resonant final scenes.


Focus Features

Chloé Zhao’s latest film is both sensitive and deeply moving, though some moments, like William dramatically reciting Hamlet’s famous “to be or not to be” speech or the frequent use of Max Richter’s melancholic music, could be seen as overly sentimental. However, much like her acclaimed film Nomadland, Zhao skillfully connects human experiences to the beauty and power of the natural world. We first meet Agnes curled up at the base of a large tree, establishing her connection to nature. Known for falconry and herbal medicine, the townspeople label her a “forest witch,” but she still captures William’s attention. William, unlike the independent Agnes, is a bookish scholar who works as a Latin tutor and writes plays. Their relationship and marriage are quickly shown, but Zhao, who adapted the screenplay, includes subtle hints – like a large hole in the ground – suggesting that difficult times lie ahead for the family.

The film Hamnet is full of subtle clues and foreshadowing, like Agnes predicting she’ll be surrounded by two children when she dies, after already having Susanna. This suggests her connection to nature doesn’t necessarily mean nature listens to her wishes. Director Chloé Zhao and cinematographer Łukasz Żal often film from a slightly distant, ghostly perspective, observing Agnes and her family. The film’s heartbreaking core centers on Judith falling ill, and 11-year-old Hamnet seemingly sacrificing himself to save her. Zhao’s direction allows young Jacobi Jupe to deliver a profoundly moving performance as Hamnet, making his death – and the way it’s shown – incredibly powerful. Paul Mescal is equally compelling, delivering a devastating reaction to the sight of his son’s body.


Focus Features

Following Hamnet’s death – and, as the story reveals, because of it – William increasingly focuses on his playwriting career in London. Back home in Stratford, Agnes endures the combined pain of losing her son and being left by her husband. The author avoids criticizing William’s choices, instead focusing on the deeper emotions driving both characters. While their reactions to the tragedy define them, the unspoken feelings beneath the surface are what truly matter, shaping the film’s direction and leading to its powerful climax. This climax occurs during the premiere of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Globe Theater, where Agnes is among the audience. Watching the Prince of Denmark (played by Noah Jupe) deliver his famous speech about life’s hardships, Agnes finds a connection to William, realizing that grief can be expressed and processed in different ways, and for William, that outlet is his art. The film portrays this realization with sincerity and avoids feeling simplistic, showcasing the director’s deep emotional understanding and ability to convey it to viewers. Ultimately, the film circles back to young Hamnet’s wish to work with his father in the theater, a dream that, though tragically realized, comes true in a way.

Hamnet opens in theaters on November 26 from Focus Features.

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2025-11-25 20:21