It hardly ever happens that I walk out of a movie theater after viewing a film and want to turn right back around and see the same film once again. Yesterday evening was one of those rare occurrences. I experienced such a strong desire to make a 180 degree turn back into the movie theater. Tim and I had just finished watching Hamnet, directed by Chloe Zhao, and were commenting to each other with our mouths yet agape and tears yet falling, “That was amazing.”

The film combines the best of film-making, book adaptation, and Shakespeare theatre. I want to buy the novel, rewatch the film and find out again what Shakespeare’s production of Hamlet is all about. When I had a dream based on the film early this morning, I thought, “I want to write a post about the impact of this film. 

In consideration of you—the reader who may yet be looking forward to seeing Hamnet on the large screen, I will write most about the dream I had. I do hope that you have a chance to view it!

There was a friend-family of my family when I was growing up. This family was kind of exotic to me compared in my view to my staunch, Christian Reformed, reserved, and well-behaved family. As I remember, their four children and their parents were different from our family of five siblings and our parents. Yet our two sets of parents were friends, members of the same church, their kids going to the same Christian schools with me and my siblings. The entire family would sometimes come to our house, share a meal and play time. Other times we would be at their house for the same. I was gobsmacked with the eldest son of the other family. In my dream life, he shows up as the character I want most to be like. He is loud, kind of rough, on-the-edge rebellious, funny, and tough. He seems to not be afraid of his parents or mine or any other adults. He is bold and yet sometimes tender and friendly. I’ll call him B.

One of B’s siblings—the youngest—is a girl. I’ll call her K. Both of them are in my dream. K. is having a baby. I am there helping, and B. is there and I’m always very happy when he is around. K. gives birth to her baby, but the baby dies soon after being born. I take up the baby in my arms, nurturing her, speaking to her, wooing her to come back to life. And she does. Then B., K., and I are baptizing the baby. After the baptism K. confirms that she is going to travel with Mom and Dad and the new baby. I say that I had also planned to travel with Mom and Dad after my baby was born but I could not because my baby died. “Now, I can travel with Mom and Dad with someone else’s baby,” I cry. I am so filled with joy at this new possibility—a second chance—with forgiveness, baptism, new life, and with B there too!

When you see the film, you’ll recognize these themes. If you know me and have been reading my blog, you’ll recognize the profound healing in my dream. Thank you to the director, the cast and all of the crew of Hamnet, for bringing us powerful story and imagery that resulted in such joy for me. I’m going back to see you again.