Does “Hamlet” Need a Backstory?

In this episode of "Critics at Large," Alex Schwartz, Naomi Fry, and Vinson Cunningham discuss Chloé Zhao's film "Hamnet," a fictionalized story about the writing of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The hosts share their varying opinions on the film, with one disliking it, one enjoying aspects of it, and one loving it. They delve into the premise of the movie, its focus on grief, nature, and artifice, and its connection to the play "Hamlet." The hosts also explore different interpretations and adaptations of "Hamlet," including the Ethan Hawke-starring "Hamlet 2000" and Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," and discuss the play's enduring relevance, particularly in the context of contemporary masculinity and societal issues.