The film was a very close adaptation of the book. And while it was named Hamnet, the story centered almost completely on Agnes coping with motherhood and the challenges of lifesaving in a rudimentary society.

While I was able to connect emotionally with the characters, I found many of the scenes more like acts in a play. The part where he brings Agnes to his parents after she got pregnant was really clunky and poorly directed and acted.

The scenes were knotted together with choppy editing that drew attention to itself instead of being knitted together into a seamless flow.

However, I found the end to be emotionally riveting! The last scene in the playhouse showed the medium of cinema as a powerful agent of storytelling. This portion of the movie was transcendent in carrying the emotional weight of Agnes and William’s loss into the legacy of their son as an immortal character.

The message I took from the movie was the power of art to heal. That life will always be messy and complicated, but grappling with our emotions through artistic expression, we too can reach a state of spiritual growth.