Something remarkable happened to me while I was watching Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. I went into my screening at the Toronto International Film Festival with high expectations, having heard so much praise out of the movie’s prior premiere at Telluride. Everyone I knew who had seen it had cried over it, but I have a history of not crying at movies. I don’t know why, I just don’t tear up easily.

During the final scene of Hamnet, I went from calmly watching with a fair amount of investment to gasping for breath as tears filled my eyes and my chin wobbled. The full force of everything I had just watched hit me like a speeding train, and all I could do was let it wash over me. Zhao has pulled off something incredibly special here.

Hamnet Is A Tale Of Love And Grief, Sensitively Told

Hamnet is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s book of the same name, which fictionalizes William Shakespeare’s (Paul Mescal) marriage, the death of his son, and the creation of his iconic play Hamlet. It’s heavy subject matter, and very ambitious, but Zhao faces it all head-on and adapts the story with a steady hand and endless compᴀssion. She co-wrote the script with O’Farrell.

Though Shakespeare is the eye-catching name here, the ostensible lead is his wife, Agnes (Jessie Buckley). The film begins with their meeting, charged with tension and longing from almost the very first second. Their courtship is as wild as Agnes is rumored to be; often spending her days in the woods, she has a witchy air about her, spurred by the idea that she can see a person’s future just by touching their hand.

Children and marriage come soon after for Agnes and William — not quite in the proper order — and they settle into domestic bliss with ease. However, tragedy is on the horizon, and it’s one Agnes has been wary of for some time. She saw a vision of herself where she had two children sitting at her deathbed, yet she gives birth to three.

The impending loss looms large over Hamnet, though Zhao doesn’t make us sit in it for too long. She shows us how this family functions, how the children interact with each other and their parents. It’s as if we are a member of the household, which only makes Hamnet’s death that much more impactful.

Bright-eyed young actor Jacobi Jupe plays Hamnet, and in his small bit of screentime, he makes a mark as a strong young performer. When William leaves for London to continue working on his plays, Hamnet vows to be strong in his absence, only for Agnes to find him minutes later crying. We’re immediately endeared to him, just as eager to protect him as his parents are.

Zhao doesn’t shy away from the harsh specifics of his death, but she also doesn’t make a spectacle of the family’s grief. Every member gets a heart-wrenching moment to express their feelings, and Agnes especially cries out in pain, but it never feels over-the-top or exploitative. It’s almost more devastating by being a quieter, more introspective moment, once the dust settles.

Every Element Of Hamnet Comes Together To Make Something Beautiful

To be clear, though, despite the logline and тιтle, Hamnet is about far more than the тιтle character’s death. There’s the romance between William and Agnes, William’s playwriting, and Agnes’ own journey with motherhood. It’s a well-rounded story that fleshes out the historical time period we find ourselves in, brought to vivid life by production designer Fiona Crombie and costume designer Malgosia Turzanska.

As Agnes, Buckley is sensational. Her raw grief is already a sight to behold, but it’s the expressions that cross her face at the very end of the movie that bring true catharsis. Mescal is equally arresting as Shakespeare, a family man nonetheless haunted by past hurts and the calling of the theater. He gets to perform a few of Shakespeare’s iconic monologues and delivers them brilliantly.

And yet, the smartest bit of casting has nothing to do with the two exceptional leads. Noah Jupe plays the actor debuting the role of Hamlet, and when he steps out onstage with hair dyed blonde, it’s clear he’s meant to emulate the dearly departed Hamnet. In real life, Noah Jupe is Jacobi’s brother, thus subtly connecting the two through an inherent family resemblance.

This is the best example of Zhao’s attention to detail, though Hamnet is full of testaments to this. Favoring slower camera movements, alternating between wide sH๏τs and тιԍнт close-ups, the director shows a sensitive eye and a knack for discovering the most poignant visuals. The feat that she manages to pull off in the closing moments of the movie is awards-worthy on its own, effectively casting a spell over the audience and leaving them in a thrall.

When the credits on Hamnet rolled, all I could do was sit and stare. Zhao has achieved pure magic, and I’ll be marveling over it for the days to come. With an aching heart, lush visuals, and magnetic acting, Hamnet is undoubtedly one of the best movies of the year and will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

Hamnet screened at the Toronto International Festival and will be released in theaters on November 27.