Hamnet: Chloe Zhao and her Bedtim...
Hamnet: Chloe Zhao and her Bedtime Story of Maternal Melancholy
Explicit
Do You See What I Mean? by Joe Cooper & Mia Ward
S1 · E5
Jan 26, 2026
44:46
Episode notes

Racing through awards season is Jessie Buckley for her raw portrayal of a longsuffering mother and wife of William Shakespeare in Chloe Zhao’s adaptation of the Maggi O’Farrell novel. Mia and Joe share slightly different takes about this fatiguing story that features a whole lot of wailing and very little Shakespeare. Nonetheless, it has captured audiences for its simplicity and raw portrayal of loss, in a return to form for Zhao, who described having a breakdown after the misfire that was Marvel’s The Eternals. Is her hyper natural approach enough to fuel a long career? What about her did producers Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes jump to get behind? And is there anything to learn from such a dour slog through parental pain?

Keywords
Film Criticism
Film
Chloe Zhao
Jessie Buckley
Paul Mescal
Maggie O'Farrell
Shakespeare
Parenting
Grief
Plague