I have never in my life cried during a movie the way I did while watching “Hamnet.”
The film had a limited U.S. release on Nov. 26, 2025, before expanding nationwide on Dec. 12, following festival premieres at Telluride and the Toronto International Film Festival. As of late January 2026, “Hamnet” has grossed approximately $42.1 million worldwide, showing strong reception and a solid box office performance for an awards-season drama.
Chloé Zhao’s acclaimed new film has been met with rave reviews since its festival run, with many calling it not only the best film of the year, but one of the greatest films ever made.
“Hamnet” tells a story of love and loss centered on William Shakespeare, played by Paul Mescal, and his wife Agnes, brilliantly played by Jessie Buckley. The film traces their love story to the devastating events that led Shakespeare to write “Hamlet.”
At its core, “Hamnet” is not only a story about the power of a mother’s love, but about the power of art itself. When the two collide, the result is that ending. It is one that, once you see it, I’m sure you’ll never forget. Every shot, every sequence, takes your breath away.
Zhao lingers on small details, the wind moving though tall grass, candlelight flickering across Agnes’ face, hands brushing in silence allowing emotion to surface without relying on dialogue and with the help of the soundtrack. Several of the films most powerful moments unfold in stillness, using natural light and long takes to communicate grief and intimacy in ways words never could.
I cannot imagine a better filmmaker for this story than Zhao, who won two Oscars in 2021 for Best Director and Best Picture for “Nomadland.” Her direction is extraordinary. There is no one else quite like her when it comes to conveying mystique, intimacy and emotional depth.
“Hamnet” has won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama (2026), the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actress (Buckley), the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Drama (Buckley), and has been named one of AFI’s Movies of the Year for 2026.
I’ve tried to read Shakespeare, but because English is not my first language, I often struggle to understand the words. I can study it, translate every line, and eventually learn the meaning, but it has never felt natural to me. Mescal addressed this exact struggle in conversation with Zhao, who is Chinese and experienced the same thing.
“If Shakespeare is performed correctly, you don’t have to understand what they are saying. You feel it in the body,” he said to her. I 100% agree. Mescal’s delivery of “To be, or not to be” was the first time I truly understood that monologue as an expression of grief.
Buckley, Mescal and Jacobi Jupe, who plays their son, deliver three of the best performances of the year. I hope Jupe earns a Best Supporting Actor nomination because his performance is astonishing. Buckley has several scenes where she shines with breathtaking intensity.
“Hamnet” is shaping up to be a major contender at the 2026 Academy Awards. Buckley has already secured herself as a frontrunner for Best Actress, with Zhao also in the conversation for Best Director and Best Picture as well.
