By John Corrado
Chloé Zhao’s emotional period piece Hamnet, based on the personal life of William Shakespeare, explores the art that comes through grief. The film, which is adapted from a book by Maggie O’Farrell (who co-wrote the script with Zhao), also finds the filmmaker back in the intimate, character-driven space of her Oscar-winning Nomadland, despite being set several hundred years in the past.
The story follows a young Shakespeare (played by Irish actor Paul Mescal) and his relationship with Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley). The first part of the story focuses on the courtship between William, who we first meet as a young Latin tutor, and Agnes, a local eccentric who he first sees in the woods training a hawk. The two will be married and have children, including a son named Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), who passed away at a young age.
An opening title card tells us that the name Hamnet was interchangeable with Hamlet in the 16th century, and the story focuses on how Hamnet’s tragic death inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet, a work that still endures to this day. But, as much as Hamnet is about the creative process, it’s more so about the personal tragedies that inspire it.
We know the tragedy of what is to come, and Zhao’s film requires her actors to put themselves through the absolute emotional ringer. The film is carried by powerful performances from Buckley and Mescal, who both deliver stunning work. Buckley gives her full body to this performance as a grieving mother, with gruelling, visceral screams, hunched over in pain. Mescal takes us through a range of emotions, both internalized and outwardly.
Cinematographer Łukasz Żal captures it all through his lush photography, whether close-ups on the actors faces or shots showing the beauty of nature. Working with natural light, we get enchanting moments when William and Agnes first meet in the woods or play with their kids outdoors, that recall Zhao’s Nomadland. The film’s production design is also excellent, including an impressive recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre that becomes an integral part of the story.
It’s all set to a moving score by Max Richter. The final sequence is when the film fully comes together, offering catharsis through performance. It’s a conceit that, in the wrong hands, may have felt melodramatic. But it never does here. It allows for a powerful release, deepening the impact of Shakespeare’s work. The ending soars thanks to a perfect culmination of Zhao’s direction, Żal’s images, and, especially, Buckley’s performance. The collective impact is quite stunning.
Film Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)
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