Hamnet stars Jessie Buckley (Agnes) and Paul Mescal (William). Photo from Universal Pictures.

Hamnet brings to life Maggie O’Farrell’s celebrated novel, a National Book Critics Circle Award winner that captivated readers upon its 2020 release. The story transports the audience to the 1590s, weaving a fictionalized account of William Shakespeare’s family and the devastating loss of his son, Hamnet, whose death resonates through the pages of literary history we know as Hamlet.

Although the film is named after the son, it primarily follows the life and emotional journey of Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes. Rather than centering on Shakespeare himself, the story focuses on Agnes’s perspective and the quiet grief that shapes her life.

The movie begins with Shakespeare and Agnes meeting and gradually falling in love. They eventually marry and have a daughter, followed by twins—a boy and a girl. The birth of the twins is physically and emotionally difficult for Agnes, but she manages to survive the ordeal. Meanwhile, Shakespeare struggles with anger and inner conflict, though he never directs it toward his family. Instead, he chooses to leave for London to pursue his work, leaving Agnes alone to raise their children. As months pass, tragedy strikes when their son, Hamnet, dies from illness. His death devastates the family and deepens the divide between Agnes and Shakespeare.

The narrative follows the five stages of grief as Agnes attempts to cope with the overwhelming loss of her son. Grief lingers in every aspect of her life, shaping her emotions and relationships. By the end of the film, Shakespeare writes Hamlet, transforming their private pain into something shared and public. The play becomes a space for mourning, and it is through this act that Agnes finally begins to accept her son’s death.

Additionally, the film uses a distinctive camera technique known as the “ghost camera.” This approach creates an observational, almost omniscient perspective, giving the sense that death itself is quietly watching the characters. Unlike many modern films that aim to immerse viewers in a character’s emotions fully, this technique encourages the audience to observe grief from a reflective distance. YLHS student Kylie Briones (12) notes that, “The camera angles add a depth to the story that almost makes it feel like we ourselves are experiencing what the characters are experiencing.”

Avery Davis (12), another student at YLHS, adds, “The color grading amplified the atmosphere and added depth to the story by blending into each scene and illustrating how emotion was conveyed. 

Overall, if you are looking for a historical film with rich symbolism and emotion, Hamnet is the movie for you.