January 2, 2026 – Incantations, herbs, ancient remedies, a mysterious forest cave, romance, tragedy and a troubled mind combine to tell an inspired by history story about the genesis of Hamlet. Based on a novel of the same name by Maggie O'Farrell, director Chloé Zhao and O'Farrell co-wrote this dramatic screenplay.

The unlikely romance between William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway led to a marriage opposed by both families because it looked like Shakespeare would never be a good provider for his family. Agnes was a witch, from a long line of witches, versed in the lore of natural remedies and incantations. She spent long hours alone in the woods.Will first saw her carrying a hawk on her falconry glove.

Agnes could read a persons future by holding their hand. She alone saw the future of Will that no one else believed in. She stays at home in Stratford while her troubled husband goes off to London to take up a life in the theater. In the movie, Shakespeare's full name is not mentioned until near the end, but there are lots of hints about who he is. At the beginning of the film, it is noted that the names Hamnet and Hamlet were one and the same in that time and place.

It is said of some writers, and this seems true of Will, that they don't write to make money, they write because they must. There are things in his mind that must come out, and Hamlet is one of those things. Before leaving for London, Shakespeare tells his son to be strong and take care of the family. Hamnet (played by Jacobi Jupe) tries to be brave for his sister, who gets the plague.

Hamnet dies age of 11 of the plague, but his sister survives through a very strange circumstance. Though Will tries to hurry home to be with his son, he arrives late. Agnes can't forgive him for being gone when Hamnet died. The circumstances of Hamnet's death are very strange, and he is seen wandering, lost in the after life, but he shows up again at a key moment in the film.

The tension between Will and Agnes over the death of Hamnet clouds their relationship for years, until finally she is able to understand her husband's true feelings about Hamnet through drama. This is a very moving scene involving two Globe Theatre stage actors, Will and Noah Jupe, with Agnes and her brother, Bartholomew, in the audience and the ghost of Hamnet in the background.

The acting is superb by Jessie Buckley of “Women Talking” who plays Agnes, Paul Mescal of “Gladiator II,” who plays Will, Emily Watson of “Everest,” who plays Mary, Will's mother, and Bartholomew is played by Joe Alwyn of “Catherine Called Birdy.” It should be noted that in the movie's biggest scene, Buckley conveys most of her complex feelings very clearly, but non-verbally.

This is one of the year's best movies, and is outstanding in all aspects, including costume design. This is a movie about the theater, but it doesn't seem like naval-gazing, as many of these sorts of movies often do. The story is speculative history, but it is beautiful speculation. This movie rates an A.

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