Hamnet

I could not stop thinking about this movie after I have left the theater last night. This movie was so emotional and I get so teary-eyed when I start thinking about the movie. Both Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are exceptional as Agnes and William Shakespeare, respectively. Every emotion they had was just so visceral and so raw, and I just felt their pain. Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet stole my heart too. Him whispering to Death about taking him instead of his sister had me crying. I already knew beforehand that he was going to die since I had some knowledge of the history of William Shakespeare's life, but his death was so gut wrenching and hearing Agnes's scream had my jaw drop in the theater. Even if I didn't know the context of the couple being William and Agnes Shakespeare, I just felt like I was watching a couple fall in love with each other and support each other through a lot of hardships. It was just also nice seeing them as loving parents to their children as well. It just really shows how much love they had not just for each other, but for their children as well, which makes Hamnet dying so tragic. This movie is a great portrayal of grief and how we can use art to process our grief. Even though Shakespeare wasn't present for his birth or his death, he still felt the sorrow of losing his son, and he was able to use his grief into making Hamlet, his most famous play. We see him break down when he plays the ghost of Hamlet's father, as he says goodbye to his son. In a way, it was a way for him to actually say goodbye to his son since he wasn't there for him when he died. I feel like the play also helped Agnes deal with her grief on losing her son too. The ending scene where she reaches out to the actor who plays Hamlet is really powerful, as it feels like she is reaching out to her son. And then the audience members reach out to him as well, because they were feeling the same pain that Agnes was dealing with. In a way, it helps her come to terms with losing her son, and she laughs because in a way, there's comfort with the audience in the theater sharing the same grief that she has. Hamnet is a beautiful movie, and it has also made me respect Hamlet even more, now that I know the context and backstory of the play.