Spotlight MOVIE REVIEW Review: ‘Hamnet’ suggests what made Shakespeare such a legend Bruce R. Miller Lee Enterprises Dec 13, 2025 Dec 13, 2025 Updated Dec 29, 2025 0 × Is "Hamnet" a drama or a romance or a comedy or a mystery? "Yes," says Lee Enterprises entertainment reporter Bruce Miller. Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save “Hamnet” isn’t a skewed version of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” but it is a guess at what actually happened to the playwright oh-so-many years ago.kAmq642FD6 E96C6’D D42?E :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE 9:D =:76[ 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 9:D :?DA:C2E:@?D[ >F49 :D 4C62E:G6 DA64F=2E:@?]k^AmkAmp?5 E92E’D H96C6 r9=@6 +92@’D 7:=> D@2CD]k^AmkAm!2F= |6D42= DE2CD 2D E96 {2E:? EFE@C\EFC?65\A=2JHC:89E H9@ :D 82:?:?8 2 C6AFE2E:@? :? {@?5@?] (96? 96 >66ED p8?6D[ 2 J@F?8 H@>2? H:E9 2 H:=5 E6>A6C2>6?E Wy6DD:6 qF4<=6JX[ 96’D :>>65:2E6=J D>:EE6?] $@@?[ E96J’C6 >2CC:65 2?5 23@FE E@ 36 A2C6?ED] %96 AF== 36EH66? E96 4:EJ 2?5 E96 4@F?ECJ :D DEC@?8[ 3FE (:== C62=:K6D 96 ?665D E@ 8@ E@ {@?5@? :7 96 H2?ED E@ 86E 9:D 42C66C @? EC24<]k^Am People are also reading… New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system Meet Smyth County's Pet of the Week: Sable State education leaders bring listening tour to SWVA Quadruple amputee cornhole player wanted for murder arrested in Albemarle County Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life 100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Virginia's proposed congressional districts and who is running | Special Report 5 things to know about legalizing marijuana in Virginia U.S. Sen. Warner visits Marion, holding discussion about Blue Ridge Job Corps What we know about the quadruple amputee cornhole champ arrested for murder in Virginia With election underway, court could have final say on redistricting | Special Report Chilhowie reports on water quality, looks at system growth Jessie Buckley, left, and Paul Mescal star in "Hamnet." Agata Grzybowska, Focus Features kAm%96 4@FA=6’D C6=2E:@?D9:A 9:ED >@C6 E92? 2 76H 3F>AD[ 2?5 H96? @E96C 49:=5C6? WE96J 925 D6G6C2=X =@?8 7@C E96:C 72E96C[ :E 364@>6D 5:77:4F=E] (96? 2 52F89E6C :D DECF4< 3J H92E D@>6 E9:?< :D E96 A=28F6[ E96 ?665 364@>6D 6G6? >@C6 2AA2C6?E] x? E96 >:I :D 2 D@? ?2>65 w2>?6E WH9:49 :D :?E6C492?8623=6 H:E9 “w2>=6E”X[ H9@ :D E:89E H:E9 9:D D:DE6C]k^AmkAmvC:67 364@>6D 2 8F:5:?8 7@C46 :? E96 72>:=J >6>36CD’ =:G6D 2?5 2 C62D@? 7@C (:== 2?5 p8?6D E@ DA=:E] q@E9 4@?G6J E96:C D@CC@H BF:E6 @A6?=J[ 8:G:?8 “w2>?6E” 2? :?E:>24J 76H 7:=>D 249:6G6] +92@ <?@HD 9@H E@ =62? :?E@ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ BF2CC6=D 2?5 EC:F>A9D 2?5 7:?5 E96 C6=2E23=6 >@>6?ED E92E 6G6? E9@D6 H9@ ?6G6C 249:6G6 ?@E@C:6EJ 42? C64@8?:K6]k^Am kAm(96? 96 HC:E6D 2 A=2J 42==65 “w2>=6E[” E96C6’D A=6?EJ E@ 4@?D:56C W2?5 2EE249X] p8?6D E9:?<D 96’D AC6J:?8 @? E96:C D@?’D ?2>6 2?5 2EE6?5D E96 A=2J] w@H D96 C6=2E6D E@ :E — 2?5 962=D 7C@> :E — :D A2CE @7 E96 >28:4 @7 y6DD:6 qF4<=6J] $96’D D@ :?EC:8F:?8[ 7:CDE 2D H92E D@>6 D66 2D 2 H:E49[ E96? 2D 2 H:76 H9@ 766=D D96 92D ?@ 4@?EC@= @G6C 96C 72>:=J[ J@F’== H@?56C H96C6 D96 =2?565 27E6C E96 7:=>]k^Am kAm+92@ 2?5 |288:6 ~’u2CC6==[ H9@ HC@E6 E96 D4C66?A=2J 32D65 @? ~’u2CC6==’D 3@@< @7 E96 D2>6 ?2>6[ 2C6 8C62E 2E 4@??64E:?8 5@ED 2?5 8:G:?8 ?6H >62?:?8 E@ A9C2D6D =:<6 “E@ 36 @C ?@E E@ 36]”k^Am From left, Jacobi Jupe, Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Olivia Lynes star in "Hamnet." Agata Grzybowska, Focus Features kAm“w2>=6E” >2J 36 $92<6DA62C6’D 8C62E6DE H@C<j “w2>?6E” 6IA=2:?D 9@H :E 4@F=5 92G6 366? D@ 5:G:?6=J :?DA:C65]k^AmkAmqF4<=6J 2?5 |6D42= 2C6 :>A64423=6j 3FE t>:=J (2ED@? 2?5 y@6 p=HJ? 2C6 >6>@C23=6[ E@@] tG6? y24@3: yFA6[ 2D w2>?6E[ DE2<6D 2 4=2:> E@ E96 2F5:6?46’D 6>@E:@?D] (96? 9:D =@@<2=:<6 C62=\=:76 3C@E96C EFC?D FA 2D w2>=6E :? E96 A=2J[ E96 7:=> 364@>6D 2 H:?5@H :?E@ 2 H@C=5 >@DE ?6G6C <?@H]k^Am kAm~?6 @7 E96 36DE 7:=>D @7 E96 J62C W:7 ?@E %wt 36DE 7:=>X[ “w2>?6E” D2JD E96C6’D A=6?EJ @7 =:76 :? 4=2DD:4D] $@>6E:>6D[ J@F ;FDE ?665 E@ 5:8 7@C :E]k^Am k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E E?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E\:?7@Qmk9cmU=DBF@jw2>?6EUCDBF@jk^9cmkAmc DE2CDk^Am kAmkDEC@?8m#2E65ik^DEC@?8m !v\`b 7@C E96>2E:4 4@?E6?E[ D@>6 DEC@?8 D6IF2=:EJ[ 2?5 A2CE:2= ?F5:EJk^Am kAmkDEC@?8m#F??:?8 E:>6ik^DEC@?8m `ad >:?FE6Dk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mqCF46’D %2<6ik^DEC@?8m %9:D :D @?6 @7 E96 36DE 7:=>D @7 E96 J62C[ 2 “H92E :7” E92E 2?DH6CD BF6DE:@?D J@F 5:5?’E 6G6? <?@H J@F 925]k^Amk^2D:56m Movies & TV ‘Percy Jackson’ returns for second season of epic stories Bruce R. Miller Lee Enterprises Movies & TV Director Joachim Trier discusses new film 'Sentimental Value' | Streamed & Screened BRUCE MILLER and TERRY LIPSHETZ Lee Enterprises Movies & TV 'One Battle After Another' leads Golden Globe nominations JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story What to Stream: 'Emily in Paris,' iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, 'Him,' Peter Criss and Riz Ahmed The Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 are some of the new television, films, music and… The best films of 2025: ‘Hamnet,’ ‘One Battle After Another’ lead list This year’s best films come from a number of countries and feature some of the finest performances in decades. Movies in a Minute: "Hamnet" Is "Hamnet" a drama or a romance or a comedy or a mystery? "Yes," says Lee Enterprises entertainment reporter Bruce Miller.
Movies & TV ‘Percy Jackson’ returns for second season of epic stories Bruce R. Miller Lee Enterprises
Movies & TV Director Joachim Trier discusses new film 'Sentimental Value' | Streamed & Screened BRUCE MILLER and TERRY LIPSHETZ Lee Enterprises
What to Stream: 'Emily in Paris,' iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, 'Him,' Peter Criss and Riz Ahmed The Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 are some of the new television, films, music and…
The best films of 2025: ‘Hamnet,’ ‘One Battle After Another’ lead list This year’s best films come from a number of countries and feature some of the finest performances in decades.
Movies in a Minute: "Hamnet" Is "Hamnet" a drama or a romance or a comedy or a mystery? "Yes," says Lee Enterprises entertainment reporter Bruce Miller.
