As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my mom and I saw Hamnet in theatres this past weekend. Naturally, we decided to venture out in the midst of a snowstorm, and as choppy as the drive was in spots, it was positively worth it because my mom and I had the entire theatre to ourselves.
It was awesome.
I don’t know the last time I cried as hard as I did while watching this movie, but it’s been a while. My mom, at one point during the film, looked over at me and audibly gasped at the state I was in.
Hamnet stars Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as his wife, Anne, although in the film she is referred to as Annis. The raw and natural chemistry between these two in itself is worth seeing the movie for, and I haven’t even touched on how phenomenal both of their performances are. I feel as though this goes without saying, considering the tone I’ve provided this post with, but their portrayals as these two individuals are truly astounding.
Hamnet is the depiction of how Shakespeare and his family navigated the tragic loss of their one and only son, named Hamnet. He is killed horribly and rapidly by what is suspected to be the Bubonic Plague, and despite his mother’s incredible efforts to save his life with her knowledge of herbs, he passes away at the age of 11.
Understandably, the grief the family experiences after Hamnet’s passing is profound, and the relationship between Shakespeare and his wife begins to deteriorate. Unbeknownst to her, William has been working in London on his play titled Hamlet, which he used as a means to channel his grief over his son and additionally apologize to his wife for his absence while working.
This movie is so powerful, and I can’t recommend seeing it enough.
Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
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