Directed by:
Florian ZellerCinematography:
Ben SmithardComposer:
Ludovico EinaudiCast:
Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Olivia Williams, Rufus Sewell, Imogen Poots, Mark Gatiss, Ayesha Dharker, Roman ZellerVOD (3)
Plots(1)
In an Academy Award® winning performance, Anthony Hopkins plays the eponymous role of a mischievous and highly independent man who, as he ages, refuses all assistance from his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman). Yet such help has become essential following Anne's decision to move to Paris with her partner. As Anne's father tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (12)
Anthony Hopkins is definitely not an old hand yet, as he convinced me with his breathtaking performance in The Father. The film manages to evoke the mental state of a man who is slowly but surely being consumed by a serious illness, robbing him of his memories and overall awareness of himself. At first I found myself actually similarly confused as Anthony, then I found myself sympathizing with both him and the people around him – especially his daughter Anne. It was incredibly sad to see what Alzheimer's disease, which befalls many of us when we live to such an old age, can do to a person. The Father is mainly an acting tour-de-force by Hopkins, but the supporting cast also gave supremely convincing performances, giving rise to an intimate but all the more powerful slice-of-life film. Old age can be peaceful, but it can also be cruel!
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In a word, suggestive. Suggestive in two ways, and it doesn't just get under the skin, but deep into each of your bones, and not just the big ones. For empathic reasons, a "must see" educational film, as the chances of this happening to you (either directly or within your family) are not small, but it’s also a great cinema experience. As much as it doesn't hide the intimate drama roots, the memento-like view of old age dementia "from the other side" is presented in a purely cinematic manner, with the editing in particular excelling in a way rarely seen. This is also true for all the cast, with Hopkins's performance of a lifetime leading the way. On paper, from an "intimate Oscar-winning film about a daughter's relationship with her demented father at the end of her life" one would expect a bittersweet sentimental film that plays on tear-jerking strings, not a frighteningly intense existential horror.
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An incredibly fresh cinematic probe into the issue of old age and the slow decline of both the physical and primarily the psychological that is uniquely turned around and dissected in detail from the perspective of the patient, not the people around them, so we don’t get any corny tearful scenes or any other similar mining of emotions. Zeller goes about it in a sophisticated, at times almost detective-like manner, and the phenomenal performance of Anthony Hopkins doesn't give the viewer a chance to breathe. Within the genre, an unusual atypical film that is worth seeing, although it is not an easy watch.
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The exact opposite of what I expected from a screening of "an Oscar-winning film about a man with dementia". No obligatory ticking off of touching or disturbing points of the classic storyline, but rather an unpleasant, visually very modest, yet suffocatingly tight one-man show by Anthony Hopkins, without exaggeration the best performance of his career. The precisely cast supporting roles do not diminish his dominance; on the contrary, they help him shine even brighter. I can't give the highest rating purely for subjective reasons, because when I imagine that this awaits me with my own parent at some point, I have a little trouble even taking a breath.
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Even if it were just a typical drama about a man with Alzheimer's played by Anthony Hopkins, I’d be content. But the filmmakers took an original approach, presenting it from the perspective of the person with the disease. At times, I found myself lost in the story, trying to make sense of the scenes — but I believe that’s exactly what the creators intended. This unique perspective made me appreciate the film even more. Plus, Anthony Hopkins’ performance is beyond brilliant.
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