Send us Fan Mail

We're reviewing Hamnet, the 2025 historical drama directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. The film is based on Maggie O'Farrell's bestselling novel and tells the story of William Shakespeare's family — specifically his wife Agnes and their 11-year-old son Hamnet, whose death from plague in 1596 is widely believed to have inspired the creation of Hamlet.

It's a film about grief, marriage, and what it costs to make art while the people around you are suffering. Buckley won the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance here, and it's the kind of role that stays with you long after the credits roll.

We break down everything — the performances, Chloé Zhao's direction, the emotional gut-punch of the third act, and whether the film lives up to the enormous awards season buzz it generated. Does Hamnet earn its reputation as one of the best films of 2025? We get into it.

New episodes drop every Wednesday for all listeners. Subscribe to get early access every Monday.

Support the show

Oh Brother Podcast:

• Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access)
• Listen on all podcast platforms
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow us on Instagram

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down to review The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto), the Brazilian political thriller that earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and had Wagner Moura — best known for playing Pablo Escobar in Narcos — winning awards on the international circuit for his performance.

Set in 1977 in Recife, Brazil, the film follows a tech expert with a shadowy past who returns to his hometown hoping to find refuge, only to discover the corruption there runs too deep to hide from. It's a slow-burn, character-driven thriller that draws comparisons to films like The Conversation, and it clocks in at a hefty two hours and 41 minutes — so is it worth your time?

We break down the plot, the performances, the stunning period filmmaking, and what makes this one so hard to pin down. We also dig into the ambiguity baked into the story — the loose ends, the unanswered questions, and whether a second viewing might be necessary to fully appreciate what director Kleber Mendonça Filho is doing. Plus, Mike has some strong opinions about whether a foreign film should have been in the Best Picture race at all.

It's currently streaming on Hulu, so if you've got a free night and nothing to watch, this one might be exactly what you're looking for.

New episodes every week at ohbpodcast.com. Watch the video version on YouTube @ohbrotherpodcast and follow us on Instagram @ohbpodcast.

Oh Brother Podcast:

• Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access)
• Listen on all podcast platforms
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow us on Instagram

Send a text

We're breaking down the 98th Academy Awards — every major winner, the biggest upsets, and the snubs that had everyone talking. From Best Picture to the moments that had Hollywood buzzing, we're sharing our unfiltered takes on the biggest night in film. Whether you watched every minute or just want the highlights, this is your complete Oscars 2026 recap.

Support the show

Oh Brother Podcast:

• Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access)
• Listen on all podcast platforms
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow us on Instagram