Hamnet had its Canadian Premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Focus Features will release it in theaters on November 27.

Not that the one-letter difference was totally throwing everyone for a loop, but the opening script to Hamnet, director Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell’s book of the same name, states that the names “Hamnet” and “Hamlet” were essentially the same in England during the 16th and 17th centuries. They were interchangeable, with both versions being equally represented across documents. By that logic, it doesn’t take a licensed psychiatrist to diagnose what kind of headspace William Shakespeare was in when he wrote “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” only a few years after the death of his child, Hamnet.

Despite being a master of words, young Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) was not as eloquent with his tongue. He is poor, tutoring the local children in Latin to help pay off his unloving father’s debts. It’s obvious he’s destined for something than just being a glovemaker or farmer, but the opportunity to be anything more than that is simply not possible in the rural fields of Stratford. Anne Hathaway, or “Agnes” (Jessie Buckley), is also conflicted with the cards she’s been dealt, rebelling against her strict family by venturing deep into the forest with her falcon. One sight of her bright red dress contrasting against the lush green trees pushes Will to fall for her immediately. They’re perfect for each other, two souls seemingly lost in time.

Before being sucked into the increasingly creaky Marvel machine with Eternals, Zhao delivered two of the most interesting American independent films of the last decade in The Rider and Nomadland. The latter became a sensation during the COVID-19-stricken 2020 awards season, winning Oscars for Best Lead Actress, Best Director, and Best Motion Picture. Zhao has an uncanny ability to view the natural world with a lyrical quality, simultaneously conveying stark realism and a dreamlike gentleness.

The rustling of the forest trees is just as important as any line of dialogue. The camera captures its sweeping serenity with compassion, inviting Agnes to live in a world of her own. That world is eventually populated with her three children: the oldest, Susannah, and twins Hamnet and Judith. The family is a tight unit, with their interactions providing hints for William’s inspirations for his work. His first kiss with Agnes is followed by a burst of inspiration for a romance about a pair of star-crossed lovers, and the children perform as three witches for their mother. Young Hamnet dreams of being a player on the stage for his father, practicing his sword fighting daily.

As explained by William’s stern mother, Mary (Emily Watson), God can just as quickly take away what he has granted. The death of young Hamnet from disease, coupled with the physical separation between Agnes and Will as he works in London, sends Agnes into a downward spiral of grief. The pair goes through the stages in different cadences, losing sight of each other and inviting agony.

This story may be a tear-jerker (this is the most I’ve cried during a movie in years), but there isn’t a single moment where it's cloying at those ducts. Zhao depicts an honest collision course of pain, featuring two of the best actors working today. Buckley is nothing short of transcendent, practically engraving her Oscar with every moment of laughter and cries. She is not a tragic figure to be tossed aside in favor of her husband’s greatness. She encapsulates the entire human experience, what it means to be your true self, and then produce an extension of that through children. Like Zhao, Mescal’s abilities are better suited for smaller stories, as evidenced by his relatively disappointing work in last year’s Gladiator II as opposed to his previous highlights of Aftersun and All of Us Strangers. But that’s not to say any of his performances are small, far from it. It’s heartbreakingly cathartic to witness him channeling his torment into his work, recontextualizing the most celebrated works of the English language for those who were previously uninitiated.

A special mention must be given to the young actors who play the children: Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Olivia Lynes, and Jacobi Jupe. The latter is phenomenal as the titular boy, never once falling into the perennial trap of overplaying their hands. He is pushed just as hard as the adults, passing with flying colors at every moment. Outstanding music from the industry’s most underappreciated composer, Max Richter, aids in this journey. The apex is reached when he reintroduces his most famous piece of music, all but guaranteeing the need for tissues to be passed around for each person in the audience.

By staging "Hamlet," Shakespeare preserved his child. His body may have only been a part of this physical world for a mere eleven years, but his spirit has lived on for over half a millennium, adapting to serve different cultures and contexts. Zhao’s film is a single drop in an ocean; the mightiest one that pushes the waves in a bold new direction.