Hamnet
review by Bobby Blakey
The world of William Shakespeare has been translated to film numerous times over the years with some capturing brilliance and others not so much. The latest Hamnet takes on a different aspect of his life based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell which dramatizes the life of William, his wife and kids leading into his writing Hamlet. The film stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Noah Jupe, and Jacobi Jupe from Nomadland and Eternals director Chloé Zhao, but does it capture the essence of Shakespeare, or will it fail to make an impact on stage?
Hamnet follows the untold story behind one of Shakespeare’s most memorable works, Hamlet. It is an inspiring journey of love and the creative brilliance that shaped a legacy and became Shakespeare’s greatest masterpiece.
I am not a big Shakespeare guy but have thoroughly loved a lot of the adaptations. This one though I was never fully on board from the trailers for no other reason than it just didn’t look like it was bringing anything unique. I could not have been more wrong. Knowing that this isn’t an adaptation of any of his works makes you understand that you are going down a different path. I know it’s not purely factual, but the content and genius to how it works with his works and life makes for an excellent story.
William Shakespeare’s life might be the central focus of the film, but its true star is his wife Agnes, played to perfection by Jessie Buckley. She is a force in this film weaving her performance through so many emotions going from a happy loving woman to distraught pained despair. The love story between her and William is engaging and
also the first half of the film. It drives his writing as they build their life together, but once he takes off to London with the theater he is gone for a large part of the film. Buckley carries the heavy load, and it is a masterclass in acting at every turn.
Mescal is excellent as Shakespeare as well and the time he is on screen, especially in the final act, is perfect as well. They are both powerful performances that fuel and feed off each in the good and the bad to their relationship and loss in life. The rest of the cast are great as well with each bringing in those needed voices to fuel the performances, most notably from Buckley.
Zao has crafted a film that screams Shakespeare while not being that at all. It is a heartbreaking film that will punch you in the gut at every turn while still reminding you of the love and connections that exist forever. I loved this film way more than I ever thought I would. It is visually beautiful even in the mud-soaked streets but especially in the theater set in the final act. It lets the story and performances lead with plenty of moments that linger in a way to let it all soak in instead of feeling the need to rush to the next scene. Sitting in bright moments and even more in the painful makes you feel it at every frame whether you want it or not.
Whether you love Shakespeare or not this is a brilliant piece of cinema that deserves to be seen. In addition to the film this release offers bonus content including commentary and featurettes on bringing this story to life.
Decide for yourself and check out Hamnet available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Focus Features and Universal Home Entertainment.