Chloé Zhao carves a shiny little gem through an exploration of grief and a study into finding solace through the prism of art.
Hamnet is a shiny gem of a film, one that I cannot wait to revisit and cry over again and again and again.
again.Written by Kenza Bouhnass-Parra
Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, her long-awaited return since Marvel’s Eternals (2021), is making the festival rounds and not sparing one soul, a testament shown through its win of the TIFF People’s Choice Award.
Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, the film, directed, co-written, and co-edited by Chloé Zhao, follows William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes’ (Jessie Buckley) relationship, from their first meeting to the mourning of their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), and the journey of their healing through the prism of art. It is a cathartic exploration of grief, one of parents for their young child, and a study into how art finds itself at the heart of the search to give meaning to tragedies.
Hamnet is meticulous and precise. It does not rush into its melodramatic sways but takes time to explore the characters’ dynamics in depth as well as the world surrounding them. The forest that Agnes holds a deep attachment to is omnipresent throughout the entire film. Its symbolism evolves alongside the character’s journey, its serenity being the core of the first part, its mysteriousness the essence of the second. Its imagery is particularly fascinating, being represented as powerful but never threatening; it is where Agnes and then her family find solace. Its image is seared into the viewer’s brain, with breathtaking visuals of Agnes intertwined with branches, lying at the foot of a tree, running through a field with her children. Its sound accompanies us all the way to the second part, where its recreation of Shakespeare’s stage takes its place, at the center of his art, just like the center of his grief.
Alongside the sound of leaves falling is the splendid score of Max Richter, building to an exorcising release in what might be my favourite musical moment of the year so far. It is melodramatic, some would describe it as too melodramatic, but it did not matter to me in this case, because of how taken
I ended up being, my heart in my throat, following the rhythm of the melody, my tears falling more and more with each note. Yes, take tissues. Every single element composing Hamnet is tuned in perfect harmony, from the costumes, the warm lighting, and the color palette to the long shots that make every moment thoroughly lived in; it soars and pierces through the heart, breaking it over and over again in its path.
And at the center of Hamnet are its three core performances. Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare is nothing short of outstanding, holding delicacy and subtlety in the palm of one hand, heartbreak in the other. Jessie Buckley is absolutely phenomenal; she gives one of my favourite performances of the year with eyes that hold worlds of love and loss, wonder and sorrow. But it is the young Jacobi Jupe, who impresses with a performance rooted in such solemnity and depth, the memory of his face only is only conjures up all the emotions again.
Hamnet is a shiny gem of a film, one that I cannot wait to revisit and cry over again and again and again. The film is scheduled for a limited release on November 27, before expanding on December 12, 2025.
Photo: Courtesy of TIFF
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