Hamnet Movie Review: A Deep Dive into Grief and Everyday Life
Hamnet, released on February 27, 2026, is an English-language drama, romance, and historical film that has garnered a 4.5 critic's rating and 4.5 users' rating. With a runtime of 2 hours and 7 minutes, this movie offers an intimate portrayal of love and loss, brought to life by Jessie Buckley's towering performance.
About the Movie
Watch Hamnet for its intimate portrayal of love and loss, brought to life by Jessie Buckley's towering performance. The film is directed by Chloe Zhao and features a stellar cast including Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson, and Joe Alwyn.
Story Overview
The story follows Agnes and William Shakespeare as they build a quiet family life in rural England with their three children. When their young son Hamnet dies, the loss profoundly changes their marriage and quietly shapes the writing of Hamlet. Based on the novel by Maggie O'Farrell, the film explores playwright William Shakespeare through a different lens, focusing on him as a husband and father rather than his fame or legacy.
Detailed Review
Hamnet is a historical drama set in late 16th-century England. Paul Mescal plays William with a subdued presence, while Jessie Buckley takes on the role of Agnes, his wife. The film keeps its focus close to home, observing daily life and personal loss rather than their achievements. From the outset, it is clear that this is not a film about Shakespeare's fame but about how private sorrow can shape a life in ways that are not always visible.
The film opens quietly, with Agnes in a calm state of mind amid the woods, feeding her pet eagle. There is no attempt to immediately impress viewers with spectacle. It settles into its setting slowly, allowing the audience to understand the rhythm of this household before anything changes. The film begins with William and Agnes meeting in the countryside, their bond feeling instinctive rather than dramatic. After marriage, they build a modest life together with their three children: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet.
Much of the early part of the film is spent on ordinary routines, such as tending to household chores, raising children, and everyday conversations. We see the children playing together, asking questions, and depending on their parents in small ways. When Hamnet falls ill and dies at the age of eleven, the shift in tone is immediate. Agnes is shattered, unable to find language for her grief. William, often away in London for work, seems distant even when he is present. The story then follows how this loss unsettles their marriage and slowly feeds into the creation of Hamlet.
Key Elements and Performances
What stands out in Hamnet is its patience. The film allows scenes to unfold at a natural pace, giving viewers time to absorb the characters and their world. There are stretches where very little happens on the surface, and this may test viewers who prefer a tighter narrative. The rural setting is not treated as decoration; it becomes part of the emotional landscape. The contrast between the open countryside and the darker, enclosed theater spaces later in the film reflects the shift in William's inner world.
Produced by Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, this film avoids explaining everything through dialogue, leaving many emotions unspoken. This choice creates moments that feel honest, though it requires viewers to notice subtle changes in expression and behavior. Jessie Buckley's performance as Agnes forms the emotional center of the film, and she is exceptional. She plays the character as intuitive and deeply connected to her surroundings. In the early scenes, she brings warmth without exaggeration. After Hamnet's death, her grief feels internal rather than theatrical.
Paul Mescal takes a more restrained approach as William. His portrayal suggests a man who processes pain privately, sometimes to the frustration of those around him. He avoids turning William into a popular figure and instead presents him as someone uncertain and conflicted. The distance between the two characters after the tragedy feels real and uncomfortable. Special mention must also be made of child actor Jacobi Jupe, who is remarkable in the role of Hamnet. His death scene in the film is guaranteed to break your heart.
Overall Impact
Based on the novel Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, this film asks for attention rather than demanding it. It does not provide clear explanations for how art is born from suffering, nor does it offer dramatic confrontations to release tension. Instead, it stays with the slow changes that grief brings into a home. By the end, the film leaves behind a sense of intimacy, as though we have been allowed to witness a private chapter in the lives of two people trying, and often failing, to understand their loss. It closes on a note that feels thoughtful rather than final. There is no clear resolution, only an understanding that life continues in altered form.
The movie has an average user rating of 4.5, with users encouraged to rate and post reviews. Trailers and photos are available, including a 1:38 official teaser trailer and additional videos and images.
