“Hamnet” follows the family life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, as he grows inspired to write his timeless masterpiece “Hamlet” after the death of their son.
The film is an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 historical fiction novel of the same name.
Every performance in “Hamnet” feels authentic. Both Jessie Buckley (Agnes) and Paul Mescal (William Shakespeare) do superb work in the lead roles.
Being the central focus, Buckley brings every emotion to the screen. One second she’s full of joy, the next she’s screaming and crying in pain. These contrasting deliveries make her character feel whole.
Mescal is more reserved, but he portrays the lost and burdened nature of the character through his mannerisms and delivery.
A Story Built On Loss
“Hamnet” proves to be an emotional gut punch. Time and time again. While the film offers glimpses of hope and love, it lingers on devastation and suffering in ways that truly sting.
On a technical level, “Hamnet” flourishes through its sound design and visuals.
Whether it’s silence filling a scene in an emotional moment or Agnes’ visceral screams of agony, “Hamnet” crawls under your skin. The score by Max Richter adds levity in spots where it’s needed. This sort of haunting ambiance remains throughout the 125-minute runtime.
In every shot, director Chloé Zhao puts focus on one thing: the characters. The words, smiles and tears gain extra impact through the framing of each scene. Cinematographer Łukasz Żal also takes full advantage of the English countryside setting.
While the film ultimately arrives at how Shakespeare’s classic play came to be, it puts the majority of focus on Agnes. By doing so, it adds layers to a story that desperately needs it.
Art As Both Wound and Remedy
Art is a funny thing – with the power to both heal and hurt. “Hamnet” showcases this duality. As William is off writing, Agnes is at home suffering.
It’s also able to capture the power of art, and its ability to help guide people through grief.
The closing minutes of “Hamnet” highlight the connection that art can bring to people in profound ways. Everyone is dealing with their own challenges, and art can be a way for people of different backgrounds to come together as one.
The film culminates in a beautiful portrait of that idea.
Powerful Film With Notable Flaws
While all of these impressive facets point to a masterpiece, “Hamnet” still has its faults. For one, it takes way too long to fulfill its objective. The constant barrage of sadness doesn’t help, making the runtime feel even longer.
While the emotions land, it’s still difficult to fully embrace “Hamnet.” The central idea is extremely simplified, and many aspects of Agnes and William’s relationship are overlooked.
“Hamnet” includes phenomenal performances from Buckley and Mescal. It’s an emotional journey with beautiful direction and cinematography. Showing the power of art through a bombardment of sadness, the film will likely challenge yet fulfill audiences.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
