‘Hamnet’ is making audiences break down in tears – and upending beliefs about male grief

The Oscar-nominated film about Shakespeare’s son explores how men and women mourn differently – and how ‘Hamlet’ may have transformed a father’s private sorrow into enduring art.

By: Jeanette Tran, Drake University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 12, 2026

Words: 1,365

Last Updated: 4 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Jeanette Tran, Drake University

Did you cry during “Hamnet”?

On social media, many viewers shared the overwhelming emotions elicited by the film, which has been nominated for eight Academy Awards.

One viewer commented on Reddit that the movie was an “out of body experience.” Another posted on X that it left them “covered in tears” and “ugly crying the entire drive home.” New York Times columnist Sarah Wildman wrote that …

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