Before audiences were treated to Chloé Zhao’s latest film, “Hamnet,” at the Telluride Film Festival on Friday evening in the Colorado town, the Oscar-winning director commanded the room with sheer silence before stating, “I’m so happy our baby is taking its place in the world amongst the mountains.”
Little did those in attendance know we were about to embark on a devastating journey through death and grief like no other.
Based on the bestselling book by Maggie O’Farrell and adapted by Zhao and O’Farrell, “Hamnet” follows the imagined story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife, Agnes (Jessie Buckley), as they fall in love and have a beautiful family until they both find themselves at a threshold after the death of their son. They can’t go back to the past and they can’t move forward. They are frozen in a liminal place, pulled towards opposing directions, but unable to find the strength to move an inch.
From the opening shot with Agnes nestled within a celestial womb forest, we learn very quickly that one should never take for granted a child’s heart will always beat. What is given can indeed be taken away. The effects of grief and death, as it relates to parents and children, is uniquely individualized, leaving those who are still living struggling to navigate from one moment or day to the next.
With extraordinary performances, “Hamnet” not only tackles grief but also explores single parenting, the lustful love that turns sour due to absence, and what it takes to revive love in its original form.
Jessie Buckley weaves flawlessly from a young girl enchanted with forest walks into a grown woman who has let life get the best of her — in every respect. Yet, like so many women throughout history, she still manages to muster the tenacity to keep the family together despite the odds.
Buckley is nothing less than magical. Her ability to tap into the raw anger, frustration and fear alongside elation and relief is a sight to behold. She can singlehandedly break your heart with one glance or gesture and is, put simply, brilliant. Oscar is definitely on the horizon for her this awards season, after her 2021 nomination for “The Lost Daughter.”
Mescal’s Shakespeare is soft and endearing. He measures his emotions very carefully and it pays off in spades. His rendition of the “To be or not to be…that is the question” monologue rolls off the tongue like water off a duck’s back, becoming a new metaphorical manner in which one processes grief. And his slight schism into creative madness provides another color to his performance that is absolutely magnificent, as the story finds Shakespeare channeling his grief into a new play called “Hamlet.”
Mescal also stars in “The History of Sound,” co-starring Josh O’Connor, which will have its North American premiere Saturday evening following a debut at Cannes in May. He could be looking at a double Oscar nomination this season.
The scene-stealing moments, however, belong to Jacobi Jupe as the Shakespeares’ aforementioned son Hamnet, who will incite a lump in your throat that becomes impossible to ignore. Jupe’s performance is layered and nuanced in a meticulously intentional manner, making him the young actor to keep an eye on moving forward.
Chloé Zhao’s approach of processing Shakespeare through nature, while simultaneously using the acting of “Hamlet” on stage as a means to process grief through art, is nothing short of genius. Her ability to tap into the most finite, fragile moments of humanity and heart is what makes her an artist well beyond her years.
As “Hamnet” began screening in the rainy streets of this tucked away mountain oasis, Zhao humbly expressed, “…I hope we did Shakespeare proud.” That moment was encapsulated at the end of the play onscreen, when Agnes places her hand over her heart while the character of Hamlet utters the line, “…my spirit is released.” It’s a moment of joy celebrating a life lived, and you can feel the grief release from Agnes’ chest.
The devastating, powerful effect of “Hamnet” was evident as a clearly emotional audience stayed seated for well-deserved applause through the end credits. As Shakespeare would say, “All’s well that ends well.”
Focus Features will release “Hamnet” in theaters on Nov. 27.
