SYDNEY, February 29, 2024 – Jessie Buckley’s performance as Agnes in teh ancient drama Hamnet has already garnered critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award, signaling the film’s potential as a major awards contender.
A Shakespearean Tragedy Reimagined, With a Focus on Grief
Hamnet, adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling 2020 novel, dares to fictionalize the life surrounding William Shakespeare’s most famous work, offering a poignant exploration of family, loss, and the creative spark. The film isn’t afraid to admit it’s taking liberties with history, and the result is a surprisingly moving experience.
- The film centers on the Shakespeare family, particularly Anne hathaway (reimagined as Agnes) and the tragic death of their son, Hamnet.
- Paul mescal portrays a subdued and introspective William Shakespeare, a departure from conventional depictions.
- Director Chloé Zhao imbues the story with a mystical quality, emphasizing Agnes’s connection to nature and her perceived psychic abilities.
- Hamnet explores the profound impact of personal loss on artistic creation, specifically the genesis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Shakespeare’s life,like that of many historical figures,has frequently enough been molded into a familiar narrative: a troubled youth,a dramatic rise,personal failings,and a triumphant return. Hamnet, co-written by O’Farrell and Zhao, grounds itself in the few known facts – Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway in the late 1500s, the birth and death of their son Hamnet at age 11, and the subsequent creation of Hamlet, a name interchangeable with Hamnet during that era.
Jessie Buckley won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award for her performance as Agnes in Hamnet.
Hathaway is reimagined as Agnes (Buckley), a woman connected to the natural world and possessing a degree of psychic foresight, frequently enough described as a “forest witch.” She’s under the watchful eye of her disapproving stepmother (Emily Watson). This radical reimagining aligns Agnes with the audience’s knowledge of the story, imbuing the creation of Hamlet with a sense of magic. The film subtly shifts the focus from Shakespeare to Agnes, portraying her as a grieving wife, overshadowed by her husband’s artistic pursuits.
The climax,set at the Globe Theater,attempts to bridge the gap between art and life,portraying the creation of Hamlet as an Orphic journey-a descent into the underworld to retrieve the lost. Hamnet is reborn as the Prince of Denmark, and the tragedy is reframed as a story of grief rather than revenge.
While the film’s central thesis feels somewhat contrived, it’s undeniably moving in its portrayal of theatre as a means of resurrection. Though,Zhao’s direction,once known for its minimalist realism,is weighed down by Max Richter’s overly dramatic score,culminating in the predictable use of “On the Nature of Daylight”-a piece that has become a cliché in emotionally charged scenes. the film’s raw power is ultimately diluted into awards-season pabulum, robbing its historical figures of depth.
Hamnet is currently playing in Australian cinemas.
