Hamnet

Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, is the screen adaptation of a novel by Maggie O'Farrell. This film allows us to discover William Shakespeare in his youth. The first images plunge us into a green universe, into a welcoming forest where a wild young woman, enamored with freedom, blossoms. This is how we meet Agnes. Her young neighbor William manages to tame her over time, and quite simply and quickly, they decide to live together, much to the regret of their parents.

The sober decor of the houses and the bustling alleys allow us to perceive the atmosphere and daily life of the humble and courageous villagers. Powerful scenes with raw realism, particularly those depicting the birth of Agnès's children, are deeply moving in their truthfulness. Jessy Buckley is perfectly cast in her role, admirable as a mother, her posture and her gaze like sources of light in the darkness. The viewer cannot help but feel and share her pain. Paul Mescal, touching and natural, rigorously portrays William Shakespeare, a young man who is unloved and rebellious in his distant relationship with his father, who offers him no support or encouragement. Aware that his life is calling him to other horizons, William does not yet know that the theater will captivate him and fill his entire existence.

The first half of the film, recounting the meeting between Agnes and William and then their life as a couple, may seem long, romantic, lacking in action and suspense, with a rather slow pace. But this choice and approach are necessary to appreciate the calm, the beauty of the countryside, the happiness of the family, and the work accomplished before the torments that lie ahead. This feature film takes a more serious turn in the second half with the death of their young son Hamnet. Jacobi Jupe plays this child with candor and spontaneity; he is perfect, for example, when he plays sword games with his father, showing the love and understanding that reigns between these two beings.

The huge explosion disrupts this happy daily life, and Agnes and William are unable to react in the same way to adversity. The film allows us to follow the long journey of these two people, their despair and their grief in the face of this trial of fate. To better understand William Shakespeare's heightened emotions, there was a need for a reference, a glimpse into his work, particularly his famous play Hamlet. Could there be a connection between the names Hamnet and Hamlet? Is it a coincidence or a personal choice by the playwright? That is the question.

It is with keen interest that we watch a theatrical performance as it might have been staged at that time in the suburbs of London. The lavish staging of the finale transports us passionately to another world. The sets, the costumes, the actors' recitations, the fervor of the crowd, from the most powerful on the balcony to the poorest at the foot of the stage—everything is done to give us pleasure and satisfy us with such emotion. The pace of the film and the interest accelerate as this unexpected spectacle unfolds, leaving us spellbound and amazed, with a desire to dive back into Shakespeare's immense body of work. Hamnet is a distillation of happiness, suffering, passion, and self-sacrifice, but above all, it is a film imbued with hope.

Hamnet
Directed by Chloé Zhao
Written by Chloé Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell
Based on Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Produced by Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg, Sam Mendes
Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn
Cinematography: Łukasz Żal
Edited by Chloé Zhao, Affonso Gonçalves
Music by Max Richter
Production companies: Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions, Amblin Entertainment, Book of Shadows
Distributed by Focus Features (United States), Universal Pictures (International)
Release dates: August 29, 2025 (Telluride), November 26, 2025 (United States), January 21, 2026 (France)
Running time: 126 minutes

Seen on January 6, 2025 at the Grand Rex theater, theater 6

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