Hamnet (2025) is directed by Chloe Zhao, who also wrote the screenplay alongside Maggie O’Farrell. It stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, David Wilmot, Justine Mitchell, Freya Hannan-Mills, Dainton Anderson, Louisa Harland, Elliot Baxter, and Noah Jupe. The film follows a pre-fame William Shakespeare (Mescal) after he meets a local healer named Agnes (Buckely). The two quickly fall in love, get married, and eventually have 3 children. When William’s plays begin become more popular, he’s forced to spend long stretches in London away from his family. Although initially supporting this choice, Agnes finds herself unable to forgive her husband when tragedy strikes while he’s away. The events that follow ultimately lead to The Bard’s masterwork, Hamlet. 

Easily earning its 8 Oscar nominations, Hamnet is a well-rounded experience on nearly every level. The film works for a variety of reasons, one of which being the many high-quality performances on display. Buckley and Mescal share the spotlight, with a smidge more focus given to the former. The story, especially its middle portion, is almost entirely focused on Buckley’s character. This provides the actress with the kind of emotionally devastating moments that have “Best Actress Oscar” written all over them. She displays a wide range of emotions with full authenticity, resulting in a protagonist who’s complex and likable yet realistically flawed. 

Mescal is great here as well, despite the performance feeling indistinguishable from some of his past roles. We’ve seen him do this kind of soft and soulful romantic character before, but it fits the Shakespeare mythos so well that it’s easy to accept. It’s really a case of spot-on casting, and when it’s done this well, you feel like even Pete Davidson could give a performance that seems awards-worthy if given the perfect role.

The young actors who play the children are impressive as well. All three of them succeed in matching the emotional authenticity of their adult co-stars, but Jacobi Jupe is the standout. Like Buckley, he’s given some tough emotional beats, but nails every one—the biggest of which being one of the film’s key moments. However, he’s not the only Jupe who shines here. His older brother, Noah, steals his short scene, delivering an emotionally devastating bookend to the story, even though we know nothing about his character. 

Although nearly every element of the filmmaking is impressive, some of the storytelling beats feel a tad like, dare I say, Oscar bait. This holds the film back from being truly rewatchable or widely accessible, but it never ends up feeling like a cynical attempt to win awards. This is mostly due to Chloe Zhao’s more human version of Terrence Malick-like spirituality. As in her Oscar-winning film Nomadland (2020), she once again displays a talent for stirring the viewer’s emotions, even when the material feels familiar. 

Overall, this is a film with subject matter as niche as its pathos are universal. Even if you can’t stand Shakespeare, it’s a film that’s sure to make you smile, laugh, and cry tears both joyful and devastating. That being said, if you’re not a fan of the great poet, it will hold this back from being the masterpiece some critics have labeled it as. It’s not perfect; it’s about 20 minutes too long, lingering on far after the point has been made. Taking all of that into consideration, this is still one of the better films of 2025, just not one of my personal favorites. B