"Among one of the heralded festival favorites to make its Canadian premiere was Chloé Zhao's breathtaking adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's "Hamnet." Rich in beauty and astounding performances, "Hamnet" is a stunning domestic drama set in the household of William Shakespeare, but with a twist: in this retelling of the Bard's life, it is his wife who is the real subject of the movie."
""Hamnet" follows the story of Agnes (Jessie Buckley), an independent spirit whose mother was closely tied with the land and before her early death, passed many of her remedies and practices to her daughter. She meets an unhappy tutor named William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and the pair begin a passionate affair that leads them to marriage. Their bliss is short-lived as William's restless creative spirit cannot find peace in the countryside where Agnes finds home and comfort. She encourages him to go to London while she looks after the children, but over the years, the pair must endure the pangs of long distance love and the challenges of raising a family in the era."
Chloé Zhao's film adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet centers Agnes (Jessie Buckley) as the protagonist within a domestic drama framed by William Shakespeare's household. Agnes inherits remedies and practices from her mother, begins a passionate relationship with an unhappy tutor, William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and navigates marriage, motherhood, and long-distance strains as William pursues his creative life in London. Lukasz Zal's meticulously composed, colorful cinematography creates a romantic fairytale aesthetic that darkens when historical harshness intrudes but does not erase the emotional throughline. Jessie Buckley's performance traces Agnes from youthful love to frustrated wife and grieving mother.
Read at Roger Ebert
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