THE FATHER (2020)

Critic - No. 214

Director: Florian Zeller

Written by: Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton (based on Le Père by Florian Zeller)

Produced by: David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi, Philippe Carcassonne, Christophe Spadone, Simon Friend

Casts: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams

Language: English

Genre: Drama

SYNOPSIS: 

Anthony refuses all assistance from his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), as he ages. As he 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.

 

REVIEW:

Based on the acclaimed, award-winning play, The Father starts out as a harmless simple drama that touches on the familiar notes of a dementia drama. Anne (Olivia Colman) is losing patience with her 80-year-old father, Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), whose grip on reality is slowly fading but who refuses to allow a carer to look after him. She tells her father that she is moving to Paris and needs to ensure his safety while she is away so before she leaves she must find someone who will endure him. Director/writer Zeller hinges on this internal conflict and brings us into a mind-boggling journey through the eyes of a man whose reality might not be what it seems to be.

The film almost plays out like a thriller where nothing seems to be what it looks on the surface. It is a truly ingenious execution by Zeller to convey the horrifying state of mind of someone with dementia, the daily shocks, and how impossible it must be to express their state of mind. Even though the film is set in one location mostly, due to the ever-changing nature of Anthony’s mind space, Zeller’s film is an excellently executed stage-to-screen adaptation in recent times. There are constant tweaks made to his apartment from the decor to the surrounding people which drives us to question everything along with him, searching restlessly for the truth. 

The film is quite a difficult watch, thanks to Anthony’s soul-stirring performance, and deserves every bit of his Oscar for this portrayal. It is astounding to work, watching him try to rationally explain to himself and those around him about his devastating mind. In some of the silent moments of the film, he speaks of his fear of the puzzling journey through his powerful eyes. It is breathtaking and at the same time, heartbreaking to see his final act of cry in one of the most disturbing concluding scenes. 

Colman gets some impactful moments along the way and the film also tries to highlight the frustrating process for those who take of them as well. Through The Father, Zeller is brutally honest that things will not get better for Anthony and he won’t be escaping this harsh reality. Those who had experience taking care of or knowing anyone who had gone through this can easily relate to many moments in the film. Zeller’s sharp direction ensures that the film and characters linger around our hearts and mind for a long time. 

VERDICT:

‘The Father’ is a devastating, trippy journey into the chilling world of dementia that is driven by Anthony’s enthralling performance.

 

CELLULOID METER- 5/5: