Film: Hamnet

This I learn is based on the recent book of the same name and is the imagined story of Shakespeare and his wife. This is one of the most recognised men the world over, and yet we don’t know his full story.

I am not a fan of the bard; I respect his legacy, but that's about where it ends. Still, it doesn't matter here. This isn't really about Shakespeare the Wordsmith; it's about a would-be writer who marries against both families' wishes, starts a family, and navigates the realities of love, loyalty, and grief.

In fact, it is more about Agnes, his wife,  who locals believe is a witch. It is Agnes who convinces William to go to London so that he can become a writer while she stays in Stratford with their young family. His star rises while she is left at home nursing one of the sick twins, and then tries to cope with the grief when Hamnet dies. This is where they both differ, grieving in their own painful way.

Remarkably, if I recall correctly, the name ‘William Shakespeare’ isn't even uttered until near the film's end.

Period dramas and Shakespeare aren't my usual fare, but this one certainly brought the emotions.

6½/10