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Hamnet

Hamnet

Keep your heart open.

2025125 minPG-13Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Chloé Zhao
Starring
Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn

The powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hamnet?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hamnet streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Hamnet?

Hamnet earns 9 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Hamnet worth watching?

Hamnet's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 1.8M ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

95th percentile among Biography97th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)94th

81 /100

97th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Biography96th percentile among 2020s

Critics 84 · Audience 80

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Biography93rd percentile among 2020s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 86% · Audience 93%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 25 wins / 71 noms overall

  • WonGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Drama
  • WonGolden Globes· Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

99th percentile

1.8M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Biography99th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$932K
Domestic gross$24M
Worldwide gross$109M

Returned 3.6× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Raw, immersive grief that feels unsoftened and corrosive
  • Jessie Buckley's performance as a force of nature
  • Intimate and humane direction by Chloé Zhao

Detractors panned

  • Glacial pacing and monotonous tone
  • Thin plot and one-note character writing
  • Manipulative emotional cues and borrowed pathos

What stands out

ActingDivisive88

Buckley's raw, wordless grief; Mescal's restrained descent

Emotional impactDivisive85

Devastating, cathartic finale; polarizing manipulation

CinematographyDivisive80

Natural light, painterly forest scenes; murky interiors

EndingDivisive80

Theatre scene resolves grief powerfully; feels earned by few

AtmosphereDivisive75

Immersive 16th-century texture; damp, dark interiors

CharactersDivisive45

Agnes deep, Will underwritten; supporting arcs unresolved

Plot and storyDivisive45

Linear, predictable beats; thin premise stretched

Pacing35

Deliberately slow, glacial; first half meanders

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Hamnet like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicHopefulRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its tragic subject matter with grave sincerity, never undercutting the emotional weight of the loss. It balances solemnity with tender moments of family intimacy.
The rideThe emotional weight of loss and love pervades the entire film, with no single act dominating the heaviness.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the meeting of Will and Agnes through the death of Hamnet and the creation of Hamlet.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsCathartic · 6% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a deep emotional impact from the child's death, but the cathartic final scene and the creation of 'Hamlet' provide a hopeful note of art emerging from grief.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe story centers on the loss of a child to plague, a force beyond the protagonists' control, and the resulting grief that shapes a landmark work of art. A secondary arc of healing through artistic creation provides a rebirth undercurrent.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfGriefSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% (this title) · Technology 1%

Survival

Grief · 6% of filmsFamily bondsArt · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the crushing grief of losing a child and how that loss reshapes a family, while also showing how that grief can be transformed into art.
StanceThe film observes the quiet devastation of grief within a single family, without moralizing or prescribing a lesson, focusing on how two people process the same loss differently.

The world

Early modernRuralUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Max Richter
SettingStratford-upon-Avon and London in Elizabethan England, circa 1580s-1600
MusicMax Richter's score is described as phenomenal and emotionally supportive.

Content guide

Is Hamnet okay for kids?

PG-13

Hamnet is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some strong sexuality, and partial nudity” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (39/100), sexual content at moderate (52/100), language at mild (20/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at intense (66/100). Overall it is heavier than 64% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 30 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria10
  • Belgium12
  • BGC
  • CLTE+7
  • Czechia12+
  • Hong KongIIA
  • IndiaU/A 16+
  • IsraelAll
  • LTN-13
  • LV12+
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • PRPG-13
  • RO12
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • TH13
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all filmsHeavier than 64% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 37%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 93%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 8%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 47%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 86%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hamnet have?

MovieCove's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in Hamnet: Child abuse (mild), Domestic violence (mild), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildChild abuseDomestic violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Hamnet?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jessie Buckley
as Agnes
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paul Mescal
as Will
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Emily Watson
as Mary
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Joe Alwyn
as Bartholomew
Jacobi Jupe
as Hamnet
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Noah Jupe
as Hamlet
Olivia Lynes
as Judith
Justine Mitchell
as Joan
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
David Wilmot
as John
Louisa Harland
as Rowan

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hamnet?

Movies like Hamnet include The Iron Claw (2023), Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and The Rider (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, most are biopics, and half are films set in the early modern era.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: grief. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hamnet?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: nature. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.