Hamnet

Hamnet is a film that feels almost unbearably intimate, as if we've been granted access to a private grief that was never meant for our eyes. The lead actors deliver performances so raw and tremulous they feel lived-in rather than acted, turning every glance and hesitation into something quietly devastating. Each scene unfolds with the fragility of a memory you're afraid to touch and so close to melodrama and melancholy that it threatens to tip over, yet always pulls back into something truer. The film's restraint becomes its greatest power, allowing quiet ache to bloom where spectacle could have easily taken over.

By its final act, Hamnet reveals why this story had to be told at all. Everything, the lingering looks, the muted sorrow, the tension between love and loss, suddenly locks into place with heartbreaking clarity. If you know Shakespeare even a little, the film reshapes him entirely, reframing pieces of his legacy you didn't know were fractured. It is deeply moving in a way that feels personal and unguarded, the kind of emotional honesty that reaches in and gently breaks something open inside you. You will cry. Not because the film demands it, but because it earns it. It's slowly, intimately, profoundly.

Hamnet is a film that genuinely surprised me. It took quite a while before I finally made the decision to see it in theaters, largely because it never felt like a priority viewing. On paper, it seemed like one of those historical dramas that might be beautifully made but emotionally distant or even dull. I fully expected a slow, academic experience rather than something that would truly resonate.

That expectation could not have been more wrong. From the moment the film begins, Hamnet reveals itself as a deeply intimate and emotionally devastating story. Rather than functioning as a traditional Shakespeare biopic, the film focuses on the quiet, personal tragedy behind the legend-specifically the love between William Shakespeare and his wife, and the unbearable loss of their son. This grounding approach makes the story feel raw, human, and painfully relatable.

What works especially well is how the film explores grief as something corrosive and isolating. Shakespeare's absence during his son's death becomes a wound that never heals within the marriage. His wife's resentment feels earned and heartbreaking, not exaggerated for drama. Their relationship slowly fractures under the weight of loss, and the film never tries to soften that reality or provide easy forgiveness.

The structure of the film is also surprisingly accessible. While Shakespearean language appears during the stage performances, the film itself avoids drowning the audience in heavy dialogue. This "play within the film" approach allows viewers to appreciate the artistry without feeling alienated or lost. It keeps the emotional focus on the characters rather than the language.

The mystical undertones involving the wife's lineage as the daughter of a forest witch add an eerie, poetic layer to the story. These elements feel symbolic rather than fantastical, reinforcing themes of fate, intuition, and unresolved sorrow. It gives the film a distinct identity, separating it from more conventional Shakespeare adaptations that often feel repetitive or overly theatrical.

Ultimately, Hamnet stands out because it refuses to follow the familiar rhythms of Shakespeare-centered films. Instead of spectacle, it offers intimacy. Instead of reverence, it offers vulnerability. It's a haunting, powerful experience that lingers long after the credits roll, proving that even well-trodden historical ground can feel fresh when approached with honesty and emotional courage.

Watched at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

A beautiful, emotional, and raw tale about the tale of loss, romance, bonds, family, and the surroundings world of the Shakespeare family. I'm so happy Chloe Zhao is back to her roots as her direction on the atmosphere, writing, characters and tone is absolutely remarkable. On exploring the characters, their conflicts and movements, and emotions, within the gorgeous production designs, beautiful camerawork, sound designs and strong powerful direction on the themes and tone was balanced, creative and excellent. Zhao works well on exploring on the normal individuals lives revolving around social class, community and lives. While unlike focusing on the modern era, still, Zhao's approach with the classic era still remains powerful and effective.

The characters were interesting as observing the lives of a couple dealing with their problems, their goals, and the emotions gathering between is pretty good. Especially the performances as Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley and the rest of the cast were fantastic. I'm so happy to see Buckley receiving more recognition as she is very talented and deserves it.

The dialogue is pretty good, the musical score is great, and the writing, although admittedly, certain writing concepts didn't fully work at some points, was engaging, interesting and offered some pretty great themes to explore. Coming out from my screening, I'd overheard some calling this Oscar Bait and I disagree, Oscar Bait movies are much more forced, pretentious and those trying so hard to be so grand and excellent. Hamnet doesn't feel forced, it feels genuine, raw, realistic and at times, a good neo-realism.

Overall, I'm happy for Zhao to be back in her roots for what she is very good with. Definitely one of the best movies from the festival so far.

I read Maggie O'Farrell's novel Hamnet and admired it a great deal. Then I saw the film, directed by Chloé Zhao, and I have to say: I liked the movie even more.

The acting is quietly astonishing. No one is pushing, no one is showing off. It's all deeply human, moment to moment, from the first frame to the last. This is one of those films where small things planted early on actually matter later - and when they finally come back around, they land with real emotional weight. You might want to have a box of Kleenex nearby. I'm not kidding.

There's a lot of patience here. The pacing is extremely slow - slower than almost any modern film I can think of - and that is very clearly a deliberate choice, not a mistake. Whether that works for you will depend on how willing you are to sit still and let a story unfold on its own terms. For me, it did.

What I responded to most was the humanity of it. Grief, love, endurance, memory - all handled without sentimentality or manipulation. The film trusts its audience, and that trust is rewarded by the time you reach the end, which is genuinely beautiful.

I gave it an 8/10.

It's not a movie for everyone, but if you're willing to slow down and really watch, Hamnet stays with you.

Hamnet is my favorite movie of the year. What a beautiful script. This movie is a tearjerker. It's the most emotional I've been watching a movie in years. The performances from Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are some of the best performances this decade. It also includes some of the best child acting I've ever seen. A film about love and loss that hits all the right notes perfectly. It even manages to have some really funny moments as well. The cinematography is beautiful, the editing is smooth, and the score is phenomenal. Chloe Zhao knocked it out of the park directing. It's definitely her best movie. No notes. 10/10.