Synopsis – The story of Agnes – the wife of William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. A human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet.

My Take – Though William Shakespeare and his works continue to remain a source for adaptation for many filmmakers, this latest directorial effort from Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), takes a unique perspective by adapting Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel.

That tells a fictional account of his courting & marriage to Anne Hathaway (called Agnes in the novel and film to avoid confusion with the actress with the same name), the death of his 11-year-old son, and the creation of his iconic play ‘Hamlet‘.

And while, that might seem like a very ambitious and heavy subject matter to pick up, considering how she received immense criticism for her approach towards for helming the MCU feature, Eternals (2021), but the talented Zhao, who co-wrote the script with O’Farrell, faces it all head-on and presents a narrative that not just tells a powerful story of love and loss, but also brings you a climax which will long be remembered as the most poignant in recent cinema history.

Sure, acting as a visceral meditation on parenthood, devastation, and the mysterious alchemy through which tragedy becomes art, there will be viewers who feel difficulty to navigate through her process, which can feel deliberate to the point of self-consciousness, punishing or overly solemn.

Yet the final act pulls everything into alignment, revealing the purpose behind every quiet image, every long pause, and every composition that seemed too still to matter. With its aching heart, lush visuals, lustrous score, and magnetic acting, this one is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year and will definitely continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

The story mainly follows Agnes (Jessie Buckley), an oddball loner who despite living in a house owned by her brother, Bartholomew (Joe Alwyn), and occupied by her step-mother & her step-siblings, is rumored to be the daughter of a forest witch, due to the amount unhealthy time she spends there, especially near a mysterious cave, and further spurred by the idea that she can see a person’s future just by touching their hand.

But it is this strangeness that attracts William (Paul Mescal), then a Latin tutor. And their courtship is as wild as Agnes is rumored to be, as their families discourage the union. But children and marriage come soon after for Agnes and William, and they settle into domestic bliss with ease. However, tragedy is on the horizon, and it’s one Agnes has been wary of for some time, as she saw a vision of herself where she had two children sitting at her deathbed, yet she gives birth to three.

While the story is rooted in speculation, it never feels speculative. The pacing is unhurried, allowing moments to bloom slowly, almost ritualistically. Here, director Zhao wisely refuses to turn this into a neat origin story. Though you can find small nods, like Will jotting down early lines of ‘Romeo and Juliet‘ after his first kiss with Agnes, or the children playacting as the witches from ‘Macbeth‘, but none of it feels like narrative elbow nudging.

The film draws its power from something far more complex than recognition. It emerges from the space between intention and response, between creation and consequence, between a husband and a wife who love each other fiercely yet cannot seem to step into the same emotional room at the same time.

Even the impending loss looms large over the film, she shows us how this family functions, how the children interact with each other and their parents. It’s as if we are a member of the household, which only makes Hamnet’s death that much more impactful.

But it’s the final act of the film that is really striking. In these final moments, director Zhao finally makes clear the whole purpose of the film. The ending is a marvel, not because it is surprising but because it is inevitable. Watching Agnes witness an early staging of Hamlet feels like being split open by beauty and hurt at the same time. The transmutation of personal grief into public art becomes the film’s emotional crescendo.

On the technical side, Lukasz Zal’s cinematography is breathtaking. The woodland imagery in the first half carries a fleeting beauty that ripples with foreshadowed pain. Max Richter’s score is extraordinary throughout. Even the familiar pieces feel reborn here, filled with new anguish. The music amplifies every gesture, every breath, and every stifled sob.

Performance wise, Paul Mescal once again showcases the full breadth of his range, from seductive to broken. His portrayal of William Shakespeare as not only as a poet and playwright but as a husband and father is truly captivating, making him feel less like a literary legend and more like a man deeply in love, flawed, vulnerable and human.

But it is Jessie Buckley who wholly envelops the film by bringing a soul shattering turn that ranks among her best and is nothing short of a wonder. There is something elemental about the way she grieves. She is tender, feral, intuitive, exhausted, and unbreakable all at once. As she rises to the task, it is as if she is no longer acting but instead channeling a whole history of human lamentation.

In supporting turns, Emily Watson, Olivia Lynes, Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Joe Alwyn are effectively endearing, but it’s Jacobi Jupe who completely breaks hearts. For someone so young his performance was completely magical and sincere. His older brother, Noah Jupe, playing the actor debuting the role of Hamlet, is also quite effective in his brief sequence. On the whole, ‘Hamnet’ is a visually stunning and emotionally gripping Shakespearean tale that makes you go through all the emotions.

Directed – Chloé Zhao

Starring – Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson

Rated – PG13

Run Time – 125 minutes