Chloé Zhao's 'Hamnet', a beguiling and captivating Shakespearean tragedy, delves deep into the origin of William Shakespeare's iconic play by locating its beginning in the imagined anguish of the Bard himself and his wife Agnes at the death of their son Hamnet.
The film, inspired by Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name and Stephen Greenblatt's essay 'The Death of Hamnet and the Making of Hamlet', posits that Shakespeare's play was born from the couple's devastating loss. While some might view this narrative as a far-fetched misreading, the film's audacious daring, reaching back through centuries to humanize Shakespeare and Agnes, is undeniable.
Jessie Buckley shines as Agnes, whose performances are imbued with piercing significance. Her captivating beauty draws in young William Shakespeare, played with intelligent force by Paul Mescal, who is tormented by his abusive father's expectations. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, making their interactions all the more heartbreaking and poignant.
The film masterfully weaves together grief, despair, and creative inspiration, exploring how Agnes' premonition of artistic fulfillment may have influenced Shakespeare's writing. Emily Watson brings a sense of unease to Mary, William's mother, as she grapples with her son's departure for London.
The cinematography by Łukasz Żal is breathtaking, capturing the serene beauty of the forest and the turmoil within Agnes. Max Richter's score perfectly complements the on-screen action, swirling around the performances to create an immersive experience.
Ultimately, 'Hamnet' asks whether Shakespeare transformed his grief into art, or if his pain remains a haunting presence. While some may dismiss this theory as speculative, the film's power lies in its ability to evoke strong emotions and spark new insights into the Bard's life and work.
In a way, 'Hamnet' offers a creative reinterpretation of Shakespearean tragedy, much like Tom Stoppard's 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead', which reimagined two minor characters from Hamlet. By humanizing Shakespeare and Agnes, Zhao and O'Farrell may have created a fresh doorway into the timeless classic that is Hamlet.
The film's daring and impassioned approach is undeniable, even if its central theory remains to be proven. Nevertheless, 'Hamnet' is a movie that moves thanks to its absorbing performances, beautiful cinematography, and haunting score, making it an unmissable experience for fans of Shakespeare and anyone drawn to a tender and moving new creation myth.
The film, inspired by Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name and Stephen Greenblatt's essay 'The Death of Hamnet and the Making of Hamlet', posits that Shakespeare's play was born from the couple's devastating loss. While some might view this narrative as a far-fetched misreading, the film's audacious daring, reaching back through centuries to humanize Shakespeare and Agnes, is undeniable.
Jessie Buckley shines as Agnes, whose performances are imbued with piercing significance. Her captivating beauty draws in young William Shakespeare, played with intelligent force by Paul Mescal, who is tormented by his abusive father's expectations. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, making their interactions all the more heartbreaking and poignant.
The film masterfully weaves together grief, despair, and creative inspiration, exploring how Agnes' premonition of artistic fulfillment may have influenced Shakespeare's writing. Emily Watson brings a sense of unease to Mary, William's mother, as she grapples with her son's departure for London.
The cinematography by Łukasz Żal is breathtaking, capturing the serene beauty of the forest and the turmoil within Agnes. Max Richter's score perfectly complements the on-screen action, swirling around the performances to create an immersive experience.
Ultimately, 'Hamnet' asks whether Shakespeare transformed his grief into art, or if his pain remains a haunting presence. While some may dismiss this theory as speculative, the film's power lies in its ability to evoke strong emotions and spark new insights into the Bard's life and work.
In a way, 'Hamnet' offers a creative reinterpretation of Shakespearean tragedy, much like Tom Stoppard's 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead', which reimagined two minor characters from Hamlet. By humanizing Shakespeare and Agnes, Zhao and O'Farrell may have created a fresh doorway into the timeless classic that is Hamlet.
The film's daring and impassioned approach is undeniable, even if its central theory remains to be proven. Nevertheless, 'Hamnet' is a movie that moves thanks to its absorbing performances, beautiful cinematography, and haunting score, making it an unmissable experience for fans of Shakespeare and anyone drawn to a tender and moving new creation myth.
I need to see this movie ASAP, love how it tries to answer the question: did Shakespeare transform his grief into art?"
, I mean, who wouldn't want to see the tragic story behind Hamlet? The way Chloé Zhao weaves grief, despair, and inspiration together is masterful. Jessie Buckley shines as Agnes, her performance is like a punch to the gut, you can feel every ounce of pain she's going through 
. And Paul Mescal as young William Shakespeare? Perfect casting! His chemistry with Buckley is undeniable. The cinematography and score are just stunning too 
. I love how this film humanizes Shakespeare and his family, it's like they're your old neighbours who you've never met but you feel a connection to them 
. It's not going to change the way we think about Hamlet forever, but it's definitely worth watching for fans of the Bard 
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Chloé Zhao's take on Shakespeare's life is so beautifully woven, it makes you feel like you're experiencing the pain of William and Agnes firsthand 
The chemistry between Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal is electric 
And that cinematography? Breathtakingly stunning 
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I mean, the theory that Shakespeare's play was born from his own personal loss is pretty interesting, but at the same time, it feels like a bit of a stretch to me. The chemistry between Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley is undeniable tho! 
Their performances are super strong and make you feel all the emotions. The cinematography and score are also mind-blowing... 
I mean, think about it, Shakespeare's play is all about trauma and loss, but what if that was just a cover for somethin' deeper? Maybe the royal family knew somethin' about William's past that they didn't want to reveal... 
The way the film weaves together grief, despair, and creativity is like it's hintin' at some bigger truth. And don't even get me started on the score - Max Richter's music sounds like it was made for mind control or somethin' 
Jessie Buckley gives this performance of a lifetime – her chemistry with Paul Mescal is electric 
The way Chloé Zhao humanizes Shakespeare & his wife Agnes is SO mind-blowing! 
Jessie Buckley shines as Agnes, her performance is so raw & emotional, it's like you're right there feeling her pain 
. And Paul Mescal as young William is PERFECT, their chemistry on screen is REAL 
and Max Richter's score is GORGEOUS 
just saw the trailer for Chloé Zhao's Hamnet and I'm already feeling like I've been punched in the gut 
another heartbreaking story about loss and grief, can we take a break from all this sadness? 
the cinematography looks stunning tho, and Jessie Buckley is always a joy to watch 
, like we finally get to see them as people, not just characters from a play. Jessie Buckley shines as Agnes, she's so gorgeous & talented 
! And Paul Mescal as William is so heartbreaking 
. Max Richter's score is like the icing on the cake, perfection! 
. The way Paul Mescal played William Shakespeare was also really intense, it's clear he put his heart into that role 
. But what really stood out to me was the cinematography - Łukasz Żal did an amazing job capturing the beauty of nature and the turmoil in Agnes' emotions 
max richter's score is perfection 
. And don't even get me started on the plot twists – sometimes it felt like they were just throwing random stuff at the wall to see what would stick 
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. And Paul Mescal, he's alright, but sometimes his acting feels a bit...meh 
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. Overall, 'Hamnet' is a solid effort, but maybe not for everyone's taste 
. The cinematography is stunning too, capturing the beauty of nature while still conveying the turmoil inside Agnes' character. Max Richter's score just adds to the emotional impact, it's like you're right there with them in their darkest moments 
. It's like, we already knew how great Chloé Zhao was as a director from 'Nomadland', but this? This is on another level 
. The way Agnes's premonition influenced Shakespeare's writing was really thought-provoking. Jessie Buckley as Agnes was mind-blowing 
I mean, I get why it's fascinating, but like, come on, it's Shakespeare we're talking about here! The guy was a genius, not some whiny emo kid who just happens to write the greatest play ever. 
And can we please just accept that 'Hamlet' is a masterpiece and leave the origin story alone? 
I mean, have you seen 'West Side Story'? That's a great example of a tragic love story too, but nobody's like 'Oh, this was inspired by my cousin's death'.