'Hamnet' Might Make You Cry—But That Doesn't Make It Great

Do men grieve differently from women, or do they simply show it differently—which is to say, sometimes, not at all? Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet is a story about familial love and grief, and if you don’t want to know more about it beyond that—and if you haven’t read the 2020 novel it’s based on, by Maggie O’Farrell —it’s best to stop reading here. In the months since Hamnet premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, it has gained a reputation as the movie guaranteed to make you cry—but if it doesn’t, don't beat yourself up. Movies that make you—or me, or anyone—cry are tricky business. Tears aren’t indicators of a film’s quality. In fact, they’re wholly subjective indicators of feeling. While watching Hamnet, I didn’t cry at the moments I was supposed to—you’ll know when they hit. Instea