Hamnet 2025

Non spoiler thoughts (summary): A quiet, intimate grief story that I deeply relate to, even if it never fully devastates me the way I expected. I strongly connected with Paul Mescal’s longing and denial as a father who refuses to accept loss. The film’s long takes, great performances, and period framing create a reflective atmosphere about love, grief, and the fragility of small moments with children. I admire its craft and sincerity, especially Jessie Buckley’s stillness and pain, but emotionally I understood it more than I felt it. Beautiful, thoughtful, personal, just not shattering for me. ⚠️ Spoilers ahead. From here on, plot details are discussed. Read on if you’ve seen the film. If not, save this post and come back after. ⚠️ I resonate with Paul Mescal’s character here. I am clingy with my kids and he is happiest whenever they are together, so I really connect with his longing and refusal to accept the loss. That feeling of believing my twins must still be somewhere and wanting to find them never left me, and I felt that denial more than anything else in the film. This ended up being a redemption for me for Paul Mescal since I did not like him in Aftersun and Gladiator II. He did great here as William Shakespeare. The film constantly reminds me to never take small moments with children for granted because what is given can be taken away. The long takes allow the emotions to breathe and sit with the audience, especially through Jessie Buckley’s performance. I could literally feel her pain in the stillness, not just in the crying but in the quiet existence after the loss. The play itself feels like an attempt so she will not be alone in grief and can slowly move toward acceptance. Indeed a romantic gesture from her husband. Visually, the period setting works very well. The costumes and sets feel authentic and accurate, and the framing often places characters inside doorways, windows, or narrow passages. For me this makes them look trapped by destiny, unable to escape the moment that defined their lives. The tone reminds me of Aftersun, Pieces of a Woman, Manchester by the Sea, and Train Dreams. But even with all the strong intentions and craft, the emotion never fully broke through for me. I understood the sadness more than I felt it, so instead of devastation I was left with quiet admiration. It is a beautiful and thoughtful film, just not one that completely wounded me the way I hoped it would. I really wanted this to hurt more, as someone who also lost my twins after their birth.