In William Shakespeare’s day, the names Hamlet and Hamnet were interchangeable. Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), working from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, uses that context as the basis for a tender exploration of Shakespeare’s domestic life, connecting a family tragedy to one of his most famous works. Maybe we can better understand “Hamlet” if we consider that it was developed while the most famous writer in the Western canon was mourning the death of his 11-year-old son, Hamnet. The main character here isn’t The Bard — played here by an impressive Paul Mescal — or even the child who gives the film its name. Hamnet belongs to Agnes, Shakespeare’s thoughtful wife, played by an enthralling Jessie Buckley, who bathes the film in her warmth. In this world, Shakespeare was not a distant, untouchable genius but a real man whose literary prowess was irrevocably impacted by his domestic life. Grief is a theme here, but Hamnet is not just a film about death – like any family story, this one contains joy alongside sorrow.