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Shakespeare's unhappy marriage takes center stage in 'Hamnet'

A new film, adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel, posits that the death of Shakespeare's 11-year-old son may have inspired one of the greatest fictional tragedies ever written.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Justin Chang is a film critic for the Los Angeles Times and NPR's Fresh Air, and a regular contributor to KPCC's FilmWeek. He previously served as chief film critic and editor of film reviews for Variety.
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