Jan 14th    
Hamnet** (12A)    
(Curzon Colchester)              

(GB/US 2025)     
Universal/Focus Features/Amblin/Hora Pictures. 126m.

The Shakespeares' youngest son dies unexpectedly of the plague, but his father writes a play to help his wife come to terms with the loss.
Visually poetic drama which consciously avoids the biopic cliche of name dropping its main figure (the name William Shakespeare is only mentioned once), essentially a powerful and rather sombre romance of a broken couple who happen to be based on real-life figures, with some visceral performances.

Written by: Chloe Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell, from her novel.
Producers: Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicholas Ganda, Steven Spielberg, Sam Mendes.
Director: Chloe Zhao.
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Allwyn, Jacobi Jupe (as Hamnet Shakespeare), David Wilmot, Olivia Lynes,  Noah Jupe.
Photography: Lukasz Zal.
Music: Max Richter.
Producton Design: Fiona Crombie.