Review of Hamnet
Hamnet (2025) Dir. Chloé Zhao
Hamnet is a historical drama, telling the true tale of how the famous Shakespeare play Hamlet came to be. A tragic tale of love, loss, and grief from academy award winning director Chloé Zhao.
Chloé Zhao’s 3rd film Hamnet is a marvellous return to form. The journey of getting to this film is strenuous for Zhao. After winning best picture for her directorial debut for Nomadland in 2021, it seemed Zhao was destined for greatness. Then only a few months later in November, her second film was an entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Eternals. Which at the time was one of the lowest critically rated and lowest grossing films in the MCU. Whilst I've been an Eternals defender since day one, it seemed after that colossal failure that the film community had somewhat abandoned Zhao. But three years later Zhao is back with Hamnet, proving to everyone why she is here to stay as a director, and in my opinion delivers her best film to date.
Zhao is a master of the observational style; we saw this in Nomadland with its mockumentary-Esque film making. Hamnet takes this a step further making the camera feel more like a fly on the wall at times, like we are observing the activities of Shakespeare’s family, then getting up close and personal when needed too in order to deliver full emotional impact. At times this camera made me feel uncomfortable in the best possible way. There is a particular scene near the end of act two that is absolutely horrific and heartbreaking. I feel like only Chloé Zhao would be able to achieve such a scene, in a way that makes you feel this much emotion. There are absolutely embellishments to the real-life story, but Zhao thrives in the grey area between fiction and non-fiction.
In a way the set design and cinematography reminded me a lot of Robert Egger’s Nosferatu. The way the high contrast darkness is utilised, as well as lighting many scenes by candlelight was breathtaking. Even the realistic scratching of the quill on paper was an interesting way of keeping the audience immersed throughout the film.
I struggled to find a standout performance in this film because they are all so blooming brilliant. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are at this point, locked into the best actress and actor categories. Easily. Buckley's portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare feels magically contemporary, truly like Shes a character lost to time and born to soon. But with plenty of sincerity. Paul Mescal plays a grieving father so well, I think he channelled a lot of his thoughts and feelings from his breakout performance in Aftersun for this role. But I have to say the actor that left the biggest impression was child actor Jacobi Jupe. His portrayal as the titular character Hamnet was devastating, he has such an innocence for this role that made the eventual events of the film even more eye watering. He makes the final scene of the film that much more earth shattering. I truly believe out of everyone he deserves the most praise.
Max Richter pulls off a masterful score, truly the perfect mood setter for the entire film, filled with magnificent orchestral symphonies that embody the families' feelings and woes. It just made the sad scenes that much sadder; it was just filled with dream like anguish.
This film will unquestionably be a big awards contender next year, and I for one will love to see it. This movie is amazing, definitely one for the fans of depressing/emotionally moving films.
★★★★½
4.5 / 5
Jacob Holmes
Instagram: _jacob.holmes
Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/2vL6V
