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? 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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 :? 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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.
