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Although he died over 400 years ago, the shadow of William Shakespeare still continues to loom large over the landscape of modern cinema. Through direct adaptations of plays like Macbeth and semi-biographical dramas such as All is True, moviegoers have not only gotten to better know Shakespeare's work, they've also become somewhat familiar with the man himself. Despite actual details about Shakespeare's life being scarce, that hasn't stopped filmmakers from trying to piece together an idea of the events that may have shaped the Immortal Bard. And with Hamnet, writer-director Chloé Zhao is bringing another such piece of historical fiction to the big screen, in this drama about the tragic loss that may have potentially inspired one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. Set during the late 16th century, the story follows Will Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), an educated man who has been tutoring children in Latin as a way to pay back his father's debts. One day, however, Will encounters a mysterious woman named Agnes (Jessie Buckley), and from that point on, the trajectory of their lives change. Expecting their first child together, Will and Agnes are soon wed, in spite of the objections from Will's family. But it's not till several years and two more children later that the couple's lives will take a sudden and more unexpected turn. With the bubonic plague ravaging England's most populated cities, and with Will having to go to London to work as a playwright, he instructs his family stay behind in their small village. When he returns home, however, he's shocked to learn that his 11-year-old son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), has succumb to the very disease they were trying to protect their children from. It's a devastating tragedy that leads Will to return to London, while Agnes grieves with their two surviving daughters. What Agnes doesn't realize, though, is that Will has his own way of processing his grief — and that, through his next play, he'll also find a way to honor their son. Based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel, and featuring a pair of heart-wrenching performances from Mescal and Buckley, the result is less a film about Shakespeare and more a character drama about how we as individuals process grief. Still, while that subject matter may sound dour, it's the movie's message about love — the kind of undying love between a parent and a child — that will ultimately uplift viewers. Make no mistake, this Shakespeare-inspired bio-fic is a tear-jerker through and through. But as Thomas Fuller said, it's always darkest before the dawn. And with Hamnet, the light at the end of the tunnel is bright indeed. |
Hamnet screens under the Gala Presentations programme at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 5 min.
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