Hamnet Film Matinee
A historical drama imagining the life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, Hamnet is a powerful story of love and loss. The film, directed by Chloé Zhao, stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as the tragic couple.
Dir: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Noah Jupe, Olivia Lynes, Justine Mitchell
125 mins · 2025 · United Kingdom, United States of America · Cert 12A · English
IMDb 7.8/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 86% · Metacritic 84/100 · TMDB 7.7/10 · Trakt 82%
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. 99 wins & 328 nominations total
On Monday, 23 November 2026, The Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable will host a film matinee screening of Hamnet, a historical drama that delves into the life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes as they cope with the death of their young son.
What is the film about? Hamnet is a historical drama that imagines the life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, and how they deal with a terrible tragedy, exploring the inspiration behind Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. The film is based on the 2020 novel by Maggie O'Farrell, who co-wrote the screenplay with director Chloé Zhao.
Who made the film and who stars in it? The film was directed by Chloé Zhao and stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William, alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Jacobi Jupe in supporting roles.
How was the film received? Hamnet received widespread critical acclaim, with an IMDb score of 7.8/10, a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86%, and a Metacritic score of 84/100, indicating "universal acclaim". The film won several awards, including one Oscar, and received numerous nominations, including eight at the 98th Academy Awards. Tickets are with the button beside the article.
Stills
What viewers say
RG9400 · 9/10
I bawled. Grief is such a hard thing to capture and convey in a movie. It's doubly hard when the viewer expects it. I think it's no secret what this movie is about, and a lot of viewers will go into it expecting that moment. For it to work despite those expectations is very impressive. Chloe Zhao's signature bucolic scenery is omnipresent throughout this movie, and there's this dusting of magical realism that gives the movie an almost ethereal…
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heyflp · 10/10
Time, when shaped by loss, stops moving in a straight line and instead folds in on small rituals, habits, and seemingly trivial repetitions. It’s within this quiet accumulation of everyday gestures that affection settles in, laying the groundwork for a pain that doesn’t yet have a face. “Hamnet” operates within that logic, reaffirming Chloé Zhao’s authorial sensitivity, less interested in major events than in the way life pulses before collapse.…
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fasterfilmcritic · 8/10
Jessie Buckley may be one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood today. She is captivating, transformative, and electric. Hamnet is emotionally effective because of her performance. Every actor in this film puts their all on screen, and the end result is powerful.
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andynick · 2/10
I found this extremely dull. I felt the scenes didn’t connect together very well and the large time jumps made me care very little about any of the characters. There’s little I despise more than Shakespearean dialogue, so when that started turning up towards the end, I gratefully fell asleep and missed a chunk of it. I usually like Jessie Buckley, but unless her acting awards are due to the bit I missed, I don’t see what the fuss is about here.
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mroffbeat · 10/10
“Tell me a story that moves me”… well, here we go: it moved me very much, my emotional blockage gone! Crying in the dark at the cinema, cheaper than therapy, and a beautiful ending ❤️❤️❤️
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hgram · 10/10
>"Tell me a story, then." "What story would you like?" "Something that moves you." - I believe in Jessie Buckley supremacy - The power of this kinda scared me - Cried so much it gave me a headache
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Jlloyd2000 · 5/10
The events of Hamnet are objectively, excruciatingly sad but I found the film curiously unmoving and, honestly, a bit dull. Dare I call it 'Oscar bait'? It felt like it was trying to force tears out of you at every single turn with these big symbolic moments and a swelling score (which is great tbf) that is practically nudging you in the ribs going "go on then, cry", but most of it fell completely flat for me. Jessie Buckley is astonishing and…
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vikrambajaj
Fantastic! I knew this was going to be emotional going in, but I didn't expect it to hit so hard. Maybe because I'm a twin too?
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