Why is HAMNET such a fine film?
I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation provoke your discovery, and the sweet secret of this cinematic wonder shall moult its pleasure.
I have of late, (but wherefore I know not) lost most my love of movies, forgone all manner of film; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition; that recent camera framed stories seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canvas and canopy of art and soul and mind, look you, this brave o’er hanging firmament of enriching entertainment, this majestical foundation fretted with golden fire and silver light: why, lately, it appears no other thing to me, than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
But, what a piece of work is HAMNET, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an Angel, in apprehension how like a god, the beauty of the world, the paragon of artists and artisans.
In 1580 England, Agnes, pronounced Ann-yis, experienced falconer, a paragon of peregrine empathy, folk med forager and healer is as untamed as the lush and verdant landscape that surrounds her home. Her strong connection to the natural world borders on the mystical, and her wild, unconventional demeanour is instantly attractive to Will, impoverished Latin tutor who harbours rebellious feelings toward his domineering father and the strictures of late 16th century society.
Together, they make a formidable duo whose passions are in sync for much of the early years of their marriage. But their bond begins to fray as Will, encouraged by Agnes, pursues his dreams of creative expression. His sojourns from their Stratford-Upon-Avon home to London to work in theatre are his lifeblood, something his wife understands all too well, but his absence is felt keenly by his family, particularly little Hamnet. Agnes uses her skills to make a lovely home for the boy and his two sisters, Susanna and Judith, though some forces prove too strong for even the most fiercely protective mother to keep at bay.
Child loss grief and the cathartic powers of theatre are central to this sublime film, this sweeping, swooning cinema. From the black hole in the spring ground of the old forest to the dark door on the stage of the rain-soaked Globe Theatre this is sterling stuff, the stuff that dreams are made of.
Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), based on Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel Hamnet and adapted for the screen by Zhao and O’Farrell, this supreme sensation is a sensitively observed, magnificently crafted tale about the complexities of love and the healing power of art and creativity.
Winner of the Golden Globe for best Dramatic Picture, and Best Performance by an Actress for Jessie Buckley’s portrayal of Agnes, HAMNET is destined for classic status and more award glory.
Suiting the action to the word, the word to the action, to hold as t’were the mirror up to nature. A palpable hit.
