Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet made a huge splash when it hit shelves in 2020, scooping up major literary awards before being adapted for the stage. Now, Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals) brings it to the big screen, co-writing the script with O’Farrell herself. Rather than dwelling on the immortal Bard’s iconic legacy, Zhao turns the spotlight on the personal tragedy that forever altered his world, focusing on the death of his son, Hamnet, and the emotional tempest that follows.
The film pulls us into the everyday rhythms of family life straight away, establishing its emotional weight early on. Jessie Buckley anchors the film as Agnes, her connection to the land intensifying the grief she carries. Paul Mescal’s portrayal of William is far removed from the famous playwright we might expect, showing him as a father and husband struggling to juggle his family and work. His performance is raw and human, capturing the strain of trying to hold everything together. The twins, Hamnet and Judith (Jacobi Jupe and Olivia Lynes), are portrayed with adept nuance, their close bond adding so much additional weight to the ensuing tragedy.
When Hamnet dies at the age of 11, the grief that follows is immediate and devastating. Zhao is unflinching in her depiction of this raw emotion, with Buckley and Mescal delivering performances so visceral that you can almost feel the weight of their loss. Yet, there are moments when this unrelenting sorrow threatens to tip the film into melodrama, straining against the otherwise measured tone. The performances remain compelling throughout, but at times, the emotional intensity feels as though it’s edging towards the point of excess — testing the limits of even the most patient viewer.
Visually, Hamnet is a masterclass in subtlety. Cinematographer Łukasz Żal combines soft lighting with precise framing to capture both the serene beauty of the natural world and the turbulence within the characters. Max Richter’s score, meanwhile, perfectly complements the visuals — never intrusive, always enhancing the atmosphere, creating a soundscape that never overshadows the narrative.
In the film’s final moments, Hamnet delicately intertwines the family’s overwhelming grief with the emergence of Hamlet, doing so without heavy-handed explanation. Rather than relying on overt narrative cues, Zhao uses small, evocative details to forge an emotional bridge between the personal tragedy and its artistic aftermath. The brief inclusion of Hamlet towards the end serves as a haunting reminder of the deep sorrow that inspired the iconic play.
Hamnet reveals its true strength in the almost imperceptible rhythms of everyday life, where the inevitable loss is not only painful but profoundly transformative, shaking the very foundation of the characters’ existence. Not every scene hits with equal force, but the performances ensure the emotional stakes remain palpable throughout. As Shakespeare’s Hamlet reminds us, “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.” In Hamnet, that idea is felt deeply, as the searing grief of a child’s death doesn’t fade but leaves an indelible mark, reshaping everything in its wake.
VERDICT:
The US release for Hamnet is November 26, 2025 (limited) and December 12, 2025 (wide), while the UK release date is January 9, 2026.
