Chloe Zhao took the world by storm in 2021 with “Nomadland.” Featuring the talents of Frances McDormand, who would go on to win the Oscar for Best Actress, “Nomadland” claimed Best Picture, and Zhao picked up Best Director. Cemented in glory as one of the few women to ever win the award, Zhao ventured into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the critically and commercially unsuccessful film “Eternals.”
In the years that followed, Zhao stepped away from directing and dipped her toe into producing and documentary work. The year 2025 marked the return of Zhao to the director’s chair with “Hamnet.”
“Hamnet” first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2025. The film has since been met with complete adoration from critics and fans since its theatrical release on Nov. 6, 2025. While the film has been received remarkably well, it is far from the film that was expected following Zhao’s previous two films.
The film stars two Irish leads playing English characters: Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as his wife, Agnes. While the former is the more famous of the two, Zhao intentionally focuses more on Agnes and her difficult duties of raising their children while Will is away in London. This makes for a nuanced and spectacular exploration into the struggles of motherhood within their unique domestic situation. In this regard, “Hamnet” feels similar to what Sofia Coppola did with her 2023 film “Priscilla,” shifting the attention to the lesser-told story of a famous relationship.
While Mescal reaches moments of wonderful, poetic acting, the film is carried by Buckley’s heartbreaking, raw performance as Agnes. Without spoiling the plot, in the film’s later, more traumatic scenes, Buckley plays them as if having experienced the events firsthand. Here, pained shrieks and authentic cries ring out over the stagnant cinematography and acute sound design.
Zhao intentionally leads the viewer through specific shots, adding direction and movement to the natural shooting style. The cinematography is almost out of a Terrence Malick film, with a similar focus on detail and natural setting as seen in films like “The Thin Red Line” (1998) or “The New World” (2000). Many shots and sequences emphasize natural light and the grandeur of green canopies, placing the viewer directly within the film.
If anything can be said about “Hamnet,” it’s that Chloe Zhao is back in her most polished form yet. Suffice to say, she brought her A-game and might expect to add to her already impressive Academy Awards collection.
This article was edited by Alfie Pritchard, Jessica Ackerman and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman and Ryan Sieve.
