Hamnet is a story about grief, love, and the fragile threads that bind a family together. Agnes (Jessie Buckley is a woman attuned to the natural world and fiercely devoted to her children. Her husband (Paul Mescal) is an ambitious playwright whose artistic calling often draws him away from home. When illness reaches their family, the emotional landscape fractures. Agnes finds herself at odds with those around her. As their private struggles ripple out, each must contend with how to navigate their emotions internally and externally.
What works in Hamnet are the spectacular performances from Buckley and Mescal. Each delivers raw, honest, deeply layered portrayals that resonate long after the final frame. Buckley’s Agnes is a force of nature. She is intuitive, wounded, resilient and otherworldly, all at once. Her performance feels elemental. Mescal matches her beautifully, playing her husband with tenderness and turmoil. He allows ambition and guilt to coexist within him. Their chemistry carries the film’s emotional weight, making every shared glance and unspoken thought ring with significance.
Zhao’s direction is masterful. She builds Hamnet with patience, giving meaning and weight to every interaction and choice. Her storytelling is gentle but not soft; controlled but never cold. She guides the audience through a world where love is fierce and loss is overwhelming. The film is also visually striking. Cinematographer Łukasz Żal (The Zone of Interest) captures 16th-century England in a way that feels both timeless and tactile. His images glow with natural light, shadowed interiors and landscapes that mirror the characters’ shifting emotions. Hamnet is one of the year’s most beautiful films.
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People seeking lighter fare may not enjoy Hamnet as much as others. It is an intense film, and several sequences are emotionally trying. The performances are so immersive, so committed, that viewers may find themselves sharing in the characters’ joy and their heartbreak in equal measure. For some, that level of emotional transference may feel overwhelming. Hamnet is also deliberate in its pacing, taking its time. It pushes discomfort with silence and unspoken feelings. Those looking for a brisk narrative or traditional dramatic rhythms may struggle with its contemplative nature.
Hamnet is exceptional. It stands as one of the best films of the year across nearly every category. The acting is extraordinary. The direction is confident and poetic. The cinematography is breathtaking. And the emotional impact is profound. Highly recommended
Recommended if you also enjoyed: A Ghost Story, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Hamnet is now available to watch in theaters across the globe.
