From the moment Hamnet begins, you realize you're in for a treat. The visuals are stunning, as the film opens on a forest and zooms in on a sleeping young woman curled up on a soft bed on the forest floor. She slowly wakes up, calls her hawk and begins to head home, with leaves and flowers she plans to use to make various medicines.
Her younger half-brothers have a new Latin tutor who's teaching them in order to pay off his father's debts. He's as uninspired by his students as they are by Latin, and his gaze drifts out of the window to focus on the young woman in the beautiful red dress, her hair slightly tangled and her face smudged by a soft brushing of dirt on her cheek.
He dashes out, knowing he must meet this young woman, and finds her in the barn with her hawk. She's startled by his sudden appearance, but he is determined to impress her, not knowing if she's a servant girl or a member of the family. He tries to befriend her hawk, despite her warnings that he's not friendly with strangers. He demands to know her name, and she finally tells him. Her name is Agnes, but he never offers his name, and she doesn't ask, calling him Master Tutor once he reveals why he's at the farm.
Despite his sudden departure from the schoolroom, he continues to be retained by the family as a tutor. He takes every opportunity to spend time with Agnes and soon, they're handfasted (an ancient tradition that denotes an unofficial marriage of sorts, equivalent to being engaged), with a baby on the way.
Agnes's stepmother kicks her out of their home, but her brother agrees to her getting married to the tutor (whom we eventually discover is named Will) and she goes to live with his family. Will works for his father making gloves, but he's unfulfilled. Once their daughter Susanna is born, Agnes sends Will off to London to find his way. He's a writer, and we discover who he is as he recites lines from a play he's written, inspired by his love for Agnes.
They soon also have twins, Hamnet and Judith. Will returns often to spend time with his family, but his work is in London, where he's a playwright and director.
The cinematography is outstanding, and although somehow Hamnet wasn't nominated for an Oscar in that category, it received nominations for Best Picture, Best Directing for Chloé Zhao, Best Actress for Jessie Buckley, and several more in craft and writing categories, for a total of eight nominations overall. Paul Mescal, who does a wonderful job of portraying Will, surprisingly didn't get a nomination. He quietly utters the line "To be... or not to be" in a moment of despair, and his delivery is the best I've ever heard. The line, often spoken in a way that doesn't touch audiences at all, suddenly has the utmost clarity and fills the viewer with sorrow for the grieving man.
All three children are incredibly talented, given their young ages, but it's Hamnet who has the most to do — after all, the movie is named for him. Young Jacobi Jupe, who was nominated for a Critics Choice award for his work as Hamnet in the movie, shows talent far beyond his years. He shines as a boy with so much love for his twin that he would do anything for her, and for his father, who is his hero. Will teaches him swordplay and Hamnet vows he will be an actor one day in a play that needs his swordfighting skill.
Jessie Buckley's talent also stands out, in her role as a woman who does her own thing, not caring at all what other people think. She quietly and firmly lives her life the way she wants to — in a day and age when women weren't always given that chance. She teaches her children the way of the forest, how to make medicines in a way that makes it fun, just as her mother did with her, and loves them so much that when one of her daughters is declared dead at birth, she won't allow the midwife to take her away. She cradles the baby in her arms and wills her to live.
In my opinion, this was the best film of 2025. It captures your attention from the very beginning and takes hold until the very last moment of the film. It's uplifting, dramatic, and beautiful. ~Alexandra Heilbron
5 out of 5 stars.
Now available on Blu-ray and DVD, Hamnet contains the following special features:
Family Is Forever – Step behind the scenes to witness the heartwarming connections forged between Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn and the young "Shakespeare children," culminating in a moving performance of Macbeth's witches and unforgettable moments with director Chloé Zhao.
Cultivating Creativity – Discover how Chloé Zhao’s visionary direction and infectious warmth inspired Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal and screenwriter Maggie O’Farrell to bring Hamnet to life.
Recreating the Tudor Period – Explore the extraordinary craftsmanship that built Hamnet's immersive Tudor world, from the stunning recreation of the Globe Theatre to the meticulous period costumes and set designs.
Feature Commentary with director Chloé Zhao.
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