Hamnet

Mary Ann

It is that time of year when we hear Oscar Buzz, and this year is no exception.  Hollywood saves the best for last with films debuting at the end of the year and the beginning of the next. The holiday audiences boost sales, and the films get lots of exposure. Whispers of excellence, however, began to stir in November about a movie with a rather odd name, Hamnet.  Did they misspell Hamlet?  Kind of….

As I began to read more about it, I discovered that the movie is adapted from a novel by Maggie O’Farrell, so I hurried to read it before the movie premiered. Hamnet the book is about the early life of William Shakespeare and his love story with Agnes Hathaway.  The story doesn’t tell you that it is Shakespeare, but you know, and Agnes is not a new character because you know her as Anne.  The tale is based on facts, but as with all historical fiction, the imagination weaves the possible dialogue and circumstances.  The book is a fast read, and you intimately experiences all the emotions (lots of ups and downs) the characters experience as they live life.  I think Shakespeare would approve how the story unfolds.

The hardest part of writing reviews is that you don’t want to tell too much of the story to ruin it for the reader and not telling enough to dull interest to read or to see the movie or whatever.  So, I was ready when the advertisements began for Hamnet.  The trailers tease and then you want, you must see the movie!

Hamnet the movie, is just, in a word, beautiful.  The sets, the scenery, the engaging and attractive actors, the charming children, and on and on.  It all sets the stage for a story of love and loss and eventually healing. The movie is true to the book.  Hamnet didn’t last very long in the theaters.  Most films don’t run long anymore unless it is a blockbuster with dinosaurs or a slice of the Marvel Universe.  Eventually, Hamnet will come to one of the streaming services, or it may have a relaunch should it get an Academy Awards nomination. Regardless, both the book and the movie are worth your time.  It is literature and film at its best.  Enjoy!