The Father
Anthony Hopkins' Oscar-winning performance is just one of the reasons to see this empathetic, unflinching, deeply humanising drama exploring dementia
With French playwright Florian Zeller helming the adaptation of his own stage play, it is unsurprising that theatrical pedigree colours his dialogue-driven first feature. However, this largely and refreshingly works in The Father’s favour; the film’s stylings never seek to outshine or enliven its world-class performances.
The plot unfolds around the housebound life of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), as his daughter Anne (Olivia Coleman) searches for a carer and seeks to move her own life forward. Gaps and jumps in conversations mirror Anthony’s declining memory, as he panics about missing watches, manipulates prospective carers with charismatic, fanciful tales, and does not understand condolences relating to his second daughter.
Despite a mere 97-minute run time, The Father doesn't rush its revelations. Its commitment to Anthony’s perception of the world allows each jump in time and piece of information to land, filling in the audience and heightening the ageing man’s fractured understanding of place and time. Zeller’s script rejects platitudes, preferring instead ambiguity and awkward moments – an understated, effective dramatic choice.
In a multifaceted performance, Hopkins is as comfortable portraying Anthony’s struggles as he is the character's joy, petty outrage and witty pride. Dignity and vulnerability combine for a holistic view of dementia as an illness rather than an all-consuming identity. As Anne, Coleman never lets the exhaustion of caring veer into self-sacrificing melodrama.
The Father is no cinematic event, but its empathetic, unflinching, deeply humanising look at dementia marks a high point in Hopkins’ storied career and suggests a bright future for Zeller.
Released 11 Jun by Lionsgate; certificate 12A