This New 91%-Rated Historical Masterpiece Is the Main Oscar Contender So Far

In a world overflowing with adaptations, Chloé Zhao's Hamnet is a rare gem – a quiet, profound, and powerful drama that touches the deepest chords of the soul.

Based on Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel, the movie offers a fictionalized interpretation of the lives of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes. It transforms a few dry historical facts into a universal story about love, loss, and the healing power of art.

What Is 'Hamnet' About?

Hamnet tells the story of a young William Shakespeare, a depressed provincial who is forced to teach Latin in order to pay off his tyrannical father's debts.

His life changes after he meets Agnes, the eldest daughter of a local family who is considered an outcast because of her knowledge of herbs and witchcraft. The two eccentrics find a kindred spirit and start a family.

Due to circumstances and in an attempt to preserve William's talent, Agnes sends her husband to London, where he is expected to become a playwright. Their separation, which lasts for years, is exacerbated by the greatest tragedy – the death of their son, Hamnet.

'Hamnet' Is a Surprisingly Subtle and Sensual Film From the Director of 'Nomadland'

Chloé Zhao's directorial style, for which she won an Oscar with Nomadland, takes on a new, almost mystical dimension in Hamnet. She doesn't just create a biographical drama – she creates a visual poem where every element of the frame becomes a metaphor.

The wild, fertile nature to which Agnes is inextricably linked contrasts with the cold, chaotic London that consumes William.

Zhao explores the unspoken with surgical precision: the torment of creativity, the intuitive connection between two souls, and the all-consuming loneliness that follows loss.

'Hamnet' Is the Best Work in the Filmographies of Both Paul Mescal & Jessie Buckley

Jessie Buckley's portrayal of Agnes is nothing short of remarkable. She embodies nature itself on screen, capturing its wildness, wisdom, suffering, and boundless love. Her performance takes us on a journey into the depths of maternal pain and the search for strength to overcome it.

Paul Mescal portrays William Shakespeare as an introverted genius for whom words on paper are the only means of existing in the world. His creative torment and inexpressible grief are conveyed not through monologues, but through an almost tangible inner tension.

Buckley and Mescal have powerful chemistry – they breathe life into these historical characters, making their pain and love absolutely real and understandable in the present.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Hamnet'?

• Hamnet has 87% from critics and 91% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 8.1/10.

• On Letterboxd, Hamnet scored 4.2/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Hamnet'?

Hamnet is currently playing in theaters.