Based on a 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell and directed by Chloe Zhao, both had a hand in the screenplay, Hamnet is a mostly fictional dramatization of the marriage between Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and how the early death of their 11-year-old son inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet.

 Just in case you’re wondering where Hamnet comes into the equation, we’re told at the beginning of the film that in Stratford England in the time that the film is based, “Hamnet” and Hamlet” were considered the same name. 

Zhao’s film takes for granted that the audience knows that Mescal is Shakespeare as strangely his name is never mentioned until the final third of the film. Up until then he flirts in and out of the film, leaving the stage free for Buckley to shine. We know he’s a maker of gloves, his father was a glove maker and he followed him into the trade, and he’s building a large house in Stratford. Other than that, he’s a bit of an enigma.

The pair first meet is woods as Agnes is out hunting with her hawk and Shakespeare is tutoring some would-be actors. Much against the wishes of his mother (Emily Watson) the pair end up in a relationship and it’s not long before she ends up pregnant and they end up married.

Their first child, Susanna, is born in the woods, Agnes is allegedly the daughter of a forest witch, whilst their twins Hamnet and Judith come along later. We then follow Agnes as she brings up her two children alone whilst her husband swans off to Stratford to do God only knows what.

Hamnet is not about Shakespeare it’s instead about the women and in particular Agnes Hathaway. Mescal for most of the film is confined to being no more than a bit part player and a dreary bit part player at that. Disappearing for long periods it’s not even clear who his character is until the final half hour. If you came into the film with absolutely no knowledge of it you would just think he’s a successful glove maker who’s away building a big house. He fairs even worse in the book where O’Farrell doesn’t reveal that he’s Shakespeare until the very last page.

Buckley on the other hand is terrific in her role and proves to any doubters that she’s come a long way from being a TV talent show contestant.

Hamnet is the type of film that people who give out awards love, for the general cinema going public it might not be the easiest watch.