Now we get into the time of year where I start doing movie reviews of actual Oscar contenders and determine whether they actually deserve to be in that category or not. Starting off with Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet.
Hamnet and Hamlet are actually interchangeable, Hamlet simply overtook Hamnet as the more popular choice. Oh hey they put that at the beginning, that's good. I let my theatre geek slip out a little, and was instantly vindicated by the film itself, I love that. I am a bit of a Shakespeare nerd so I will be judgy.
Paul Mescal has been in some great films the last couple of years, I don’t think he is actually getting the recognition that he deserves. Foe last year was one of the most incredible performances I’ve seen anyone give in anything.
I fully understand that this is a fictionalized story of Shakespeare’s life and loss but the Bard going after the weirdest bitch in town and being extremely socially awkward fully tracks.
Paul is so incredible at the quieter moments, his acting really pulls you into the story and the film itself. He’s subtle, but he possesses so much power in that. His slight movement, the inflections in his voice he is truly one of the best actors of this generation and I’m gonna need the rest of the general public to realize that and give this man more roles like this.
The scene where Agnes tells his family that she’s pregnant is hilarious. His big dopey grin when his mom asks him if he’s the one that put it there is the best. These two look great together.
Giving birth in the woods by yourself is some badass shit. Look, his behavior after his baby was born is not great. However a man being completely lost after his baby is born and not having a purpose is very realistic and portrayed so well by Mescal.
Wow this must be a magic baby, he was born without an umbilical cord.
These twins are the cutest and I love them. Them putting on a little performance for their momma is so real. Unbearably adorable.
He keeps trying to move them to London and Agnes very clearly doesn’t want to leave their little town. She likes the woods and the river, she wants to stay out of the city. And he immediately adjusts his plans like a good husband.
Hamnet is the cutest boy.
The storytelling is brilliant because obviously we know by the title of the film that if one of these children dies it's going to be the little boy. And like we know that because that's actually what happened. But it's his twin sister Judith that they make fall ill. It really illustrates the stress and suffering that this whole family has gone through. As well as solidifying the fear that parents feel when their children are unwell.
For a two hour movie it's actually paced out really well. We got through Act 1 pretty obviously and getting to spend most of act 2 with his children instead of focusing on the parents was a great idea. Having us spend time with the babies forces the audience to feel the parents grief when he dies, it's really brilliant writing. Especially with baby boy telling his sister that he’d give his life for her and chanting that he’ll be brave. If this doesn't get nominations I am going to be shocked and truly very upset.
The transition between Hamnet staring up at the bird, to Shakespeare staring up at the bird was impeccable.
Agnes’ scream when Hamnet dies in her arms was brutal. An actor's portrayal of grief is always more painful than the death itself. And damn this one is no different. Grandma is pissing me off, I really don’t like anything she says. Get her away from my kids.
The shot of just Judith’s bed is so simple but so devastating, we’ve seen 3 shots of the twins' room, with both beds. That’s so sad.
Paul giving his player a line reading for Hamlet’s monologue was incredible. I am feeling this man’s acting in my bones.
There are lots of theories as to how his son' s death affected and influenced Shakespeare's work. Hamlet being the obvious connection for most, especially as that show has many things to say about death and grief. But most scholars think grief’s influence is more strongly found in literally all the plays where women dress as men as Shakespeare saw his son and his spirit in his daughters. Either way I love the way that that influence was depicted in this movie. With Will playing the King’s ghost in Hamlet, he actively processes his grief through his writing. And his wife gets to do the same through experiencing the play.
Ya know this is two years in a row that we have gotten brilliant movies about processing grief through the work of Shakespeare and I truly could not be happier about it. If we could get more people to access and understand Shakespeare that would be great. We could solve the literacy crisis this country has so fast.
This should be one of the films this year that gets handed Oscar nominations like the academy is passing out candy. Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Chloe Zhao, and Maggie O’Farrell should all be getting nominations. Every single part of this movie is brilliant, heartbreaking, devastating, and beautiful. A perfect 10/10 and a must watch for anyone that cares about film.
About the Creator
Alexandrea Callaghan
Certified nerd, super geek and very proud fangirl.
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