Side note, I’d never label myself a film snob. I am no well-rounded critic. However, I come from a family in which cinema is our greatest shared passion. I would like to think I have enough movie-viewing under my belt to be able to claim fair judgment on whether or not one has something special. Not to mention, I did see this movie twice within two weeks because I had to go back with my roommate to really consume everything it had to offer for a second time. It’s genuinely that good, I’m telling you.
Now, I’ll go ahead and get my greatest take out of the way—Jessie Buckley’s performance in this film was single-handedly the best acting I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch on screen. I have never been so sure of who an Academy Award for best actress should go to. I was so moved by her ability to portray the agony of loss and also the strength of motherhood. After the death of Hamnet, Agnes wears her pain openly, raw and consuming, while William buries his, transforming it into words through his play “Hamlet.” Her sharp sobs and incomprehensible understanding of what has occurred in front of her after attempting to save Hamnet from death is one of my favorite scenes in the film. Throughout the scene, I could feel her pure exasperation and desperation, holding my breath with her. Chloe Zhao presents grief perfectly—as an emotion to which no cure exists, an excruciating presence that lingers forever. Buckley perfectly captures this; again, she was nothing short of perfection in this role.
Quickly, I also want to mention how brilliant Paul Mescal and Jacobi Jupe also were in their roles. Their bond was so touching and they left me with some of my favorite scenes of the film, in particular when he leaves for London and they keep elongating their goodbye. Also, I don’t know how you could not be left weeping at Jupe’s portrayal of the lasting love of a sibling bond. Especially as a twin, this hit me right in the heart. (Chance, my twin, likely would make fun of me if I got the plague, but it’s fine, I’d still trick death for him).