I spent much of the movie wondering why it was even pretending to be interested in William Shakespeare. Yes, the movie is really about Agnes, but for most of the run time, her husband could be a lawyer or merchant who lives in the city. There is little indication that he's creative, let alone, you know, the greatest writer of all time at the height of this fame.
Eventually, it comes together, in a very moving moment about the transformative nature of art. But then again...
Spoiler
doesn't it diminish the emotional impact a bit that the character named in honor of his dead son is a notoriously obnoxious wuss?
Zhou and her DP Lukasz Zal shoot get some extraordinary candlelight photography.