Hamnet

[Matt2112]

Nominated for eight Oscars, there's currently a lot of hype about this adaptation of Maggie O'Farell's novel about the grief of William Shakepeare and his family after the loss of a child, and how it profoundly influenced probably the most famous play in all literature.

Going in to watch this, I couldn't help having in mind director Chloe Zhao's previous multi-Oscar winning and much-hyped Nomadland, one of the most underwhelming - and, frankly, boring - films of recent years.

Hamnet seemed to fit the same mould for much of the running time: slow, ponderous, plodding and sometimes overwrought, although of course there's a key scene which can't be anything other than harrowing.

But then in the last 15 minutes or so, something quite extraordinary happens: driven by supporting actor Noah Jupe's stunning performance of an actor playing Hamlet, the film is elevated into a huge emotional gut-punch that I really did not see coming; lead actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, up to then competent enough, are also suddenly remarkable, Buckley in particular showing why she's been nominated for Best Actress.

It's a finale than more than rewards the toil through the previous 100 minutes or so.

Rating: ***

[dom]

That's interesting Matt. We watched 40 minutes of it and found it to be very dull, not befitting all those oscar nominations. Might go back to it thanks to your review