22/01/2026 first watch

Really loved the first two thirds of this - I think the final act just means it didn’t blow me away like I thought it would in the conclusion. 

I think my favourite thing was how it sort of compressed the human experience - despite the practical differences, so much of what you see in this film is exactly what we feel and live today. Parts of it really reminded me of being a kid, things I had forgotten or not thought of in years - not through direct context but through the feelings and the nature of relationships and interactions. Young Agnes’ desperate cries at her mother’s death and the scene where Agnes’ bird dies and they hold a funeral of sorts - these are both the best examples of what I felt and the most emotional moments in the film to me. 

Both leads and children give great performances. I’ve watched so much of the press for this and have got so used to their Irish accents that I kind of missed them almost, but it’s testament to their acting that it doesn’t feel disingenuous during the film at all. There were a couple of moments where, not necessarily their accents but maybe more their natural intonation or even mannerisms came through though which I really liked. Jessie Buckley’s half smile is so good, probably my favourite aspect of her whole performance. 

I kind of wish we’d got more humorous moments - the dynamic between Agnes and Will early on felt so giddy and Will’s lack of care at his parents inevitable disapproval whilst they’re both almost trying to stop laughing was really funny to me. The transformation to the family dynamic that we get during the middle third is also great though. I loved Agnes’ expression and enjoyment of the kid’s surprise performance outside. In that moment it feels like you’re getting the best of the what the experience of being a mum is, even if you’ve never or never will have that yourself. 

Once we move past the inevitable crushing sadness of Hamnet’s death, I did feel slightly more detached, I think from all the character’s experiences. The design and setup of the final sequence is great and I completely see its intended impact but I felt I was urging myself to feel more during this section. Maybe I found it too obvious or foreseen, I’m not sure. I thought of Sentimental Value, where the expression of feeling and pain and the effort to communicate through art (rather than conversation) felt more earned and nuanced and subtle in its approach by comparison. Also, as much as I absolutely adore On the Nature of Daylight, it has such a perfect use in Arrival, which is such a perfect film to me and the song is so heavily associated with the goosebumps and overwhelming feeling that I get with that scene, that I couldn’t engross myself in it here, in the way that this song deserves, in any moment. That’s a very personal issue though and I completely get the desire to include it. 

Think I want to see this again, I don’t think I’ve ever regretted seeing a film a second time before it leaves cinemas and often I gain much more that I missed on first watch. My bank balance might not agree though. 2026 in film is off to an amazing start.