The Father

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I've watched some incredible films during my life. Some offered me a blast of pure entertainment, others left me crying like a baby, and dozens made me laugh uncontrollably. Nevertheless, the most memorable movies are the ones that profoundly impact me emotionally either by remembering me of a past phase of my life or by possessing main characters who I can strongly relate to. What might be "just another film" for most viewers can ultimately become a personal journey for other people in the audience, which is how I partially experienced The Father. I didn't have massive expectations for the movie itself, but I was curious to know how great A...

The Father gives its audience a fully immersive experience with the frustrations of dementia in this stage-to-screen adaptation of Florian Zellers 2012 play. Making his feature film directorial debut, Zeller gives the project a personal touch with much emotional gravity, as hes so intimate with the source material. The film has the look and feel of a stage play, but it thrusts audiences into the main characters head in a way that only the medium can achieve.

Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is growing increasingly confused in his day-to-day activities. At first he cant remember where he left his watch, but later he doesnt know if its morning or night. The man sometimes doesnt recognize his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman), and he confuses his care...

'The Father' is a standout during this very bland awards season, but just because it's both a critical darling and awards frontrunner doesn't take away from the emotional power and stellar performances for Colman and Hopkins.

• Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-father-a-deeply-moving-look-at-mental-illness

Incredible performances from Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman!

'The Father' makes for a rather heart-breaking watch, it's very clear from the get-go where the film is heading but that doesn't stop it hitting directly in the feels. I've fortunately never been around someone with what this film depicts, yet it still came across as very realistic - based on what I have heard about the condition.

Hopkins is utterly superb in the lead role, which is what I expected given I had heard about this 2020 flick back when it won the big gongs. Something I hadn't heard about, though, was Colman's performance - which is absolutely fantastic, particularly in one emotional scene alongside Hopkins and Imogen Poots.

A very saddening but brilliant film, cleverly portrayed too.

The Father is an incredibly moving film that leaves you as confused in time and place as the main character (an incredible Hopkins), allowing the audience to experience - if only a little - what it must feel like to have dementia.

9/10

Anthony Hopkins's performance in The Father is bulletproof. This is fortunate, because he encounters what the military calls 'friendly fire' resulting from a baffling decision by co-writer/director Florian Zeller, who has a couple of characters played each by two different sets of actors.

Thus Anne, Hopkinss characters (also named Anthony) daughter is played by Olivia Williams and Olivia Colman (who at least share some physical resemblance), while Anne's (ex)husband Paul is played by Rufus Sewell and Mark Gattis (who are like day and night). No wonder Anthony is so confused as are we.

There are certainly precedents for this type of casting, the most famous of which is That Obscure Object of Desire, in which Luis Buñuel alternates the...

We, as "normal" people, cannot imagine what really goes on inside the head of those suffering from more advanced dementia. We only know for sure what is reflected by caretakers and psychiatrists. Yet, Florian Zeller has done a tremendous job of immersing us in what may be the experience of one suffering individual. As a caretaker of two parents who both went this way, it is about as accurate an experience as we will ever come to understand. This is a powerful drama, made real by an absolutely amazing acting by Anthony Hopkins.

The Father is a brilliant film. Fantastic performances all around, amazing editing, and cinematography that creates confusion for not only the audience but our main character. This story is so touching and incredibly tragic, it had me tearing up at multiple points. Not only do the emotional points work, but this film also creates an almost horror aspect of Alzheimer's that is quite frightening. It really made me sympathize for those with this disease and fear for the potential future of myself losing my memory.

Score: 92% | Verdict: Excellent