Hamnet Is A Little Too Emotional For My Tastes, But One Performance Genuinely Moved Me To Tears

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Be warned: this article contains spoilers for the movie Hamnet, which came out this weekend and is scheduled for release in 2025.

I think Hamnet is a truly impressive film, even though it wasn’t quite to my taste. The movie, directed by Chloé Zhao and based on a book, is intentionally very moving – it’s a story about the heartbreaking loss of a child and how it impacts the parents. The acting is fantastic across the board. I fully expect Jessie Buckley to win a lot of awards soon, and Paul Mescal might be right up there with her.

Jacobi Jupe, who plays young Hamnet, was the most impressive actor in the movie for me. While the adult actors might receive more awards attention, Jupe absolutely deserves recognition too.

I’m Not A Cryer In Movies

I rarely cry during movies, and I’m not sure what that says about me. I’m much more likely to get emotional from happy moments than sad ones, but even that doesn’t happen often. While I found the story of Hamnet moving, I don’t have children myself, so it didn’t resonate with me as deeply as it might with parents. Considering that, and my general difficulty with being moved to tears, I appreciated the film’s quality – the acting, direction, and beautiful visuals – but the story didn’t feel deeply personal to me.

Jacobi Jube’s performance is remarkable for an 11-year-old. I deeply connected with his character and the sacrifice he makes to save his sister – offering his own life in her place. The scene following his death, where he stands at the threshold of the afterlife, is one of the most emotionally powerful moments I’ve witnessed in a film, possibly ever. It’s a truly heartbreaking scene, and it brought me to tears.

Jupe Is Just Wonderful

What truly makes Noah Jupe’s performance stand out isn’t just when he portrays difficult emotions; it’s the genuine happiness he shows early in the film. He’s incredibly charming and easy to connect with, even though his character is a child living in the 17th century. He feels like any kid – someone you recognize in yourself. He has a sweet relationship with his twin sister and loves his parents. Jupe skillfully balances joy, fear, and sadness, particularly when his father goes away on a long trip. Seeing him happily perform for his mother and playwright father evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and reminds me of my own childhood.

Seeing the first performance of Hamlet at the Globe was incredibly moving, especially watching young actor Jupe, playing Hamnet, leave the stage. His exit brought a sense of peace to his mother, Agnes (played by Buckley), after years of grieving her son’s death. Jupe’s performance was so powerful that, despite usually disliking awards given to child actors, I really hope he gets nominated for something – it was truly exceptional.

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2025-12-07 22:10