The Father Review

What does it feel like to have dementia? How does one perceive the world when the mind starts playing tricks? How do you create and maintain relationships with people you don't always recognise or remember?

Florian Zeller directs this adaptation of his own play and I for one welcome him to the world of film. A beautifully contained piece, much of the feel of a play is maintained through a small cast and limited locations. Ah, the locations. It's not often that I feel impelled to comment on a movie's production design but here it's such an integral part of the storytelling that I was ecstatic to see the Oscar nomination in this category. Using what is essentially one set, we experience the same déjà vu, familiarity, and sense of confusion as Anthony, moving from his flat to Anne's to a doctor's office to a hospital... Superbly done, we're given visual hints as to when in the timeline each scene is set, though nothing is ever certain.

Speaking of the timeline, this could almost be a Chris Nolan movie for all that it snakes and weaves and backtracks. Or does it? Even after the film ended, I am hard-pressed to say how long a period of time it encompassed; two days, a few weeks, or even years? Anthony isn't sure and thus neither are we. What is clear is the emotional journey The Father takes us on. The building of the emotions, in all their complexity and contradiction, is so gradual that when it all comes to a climax, the audience is caught unawares. It's a sucker-punch, hitting right at each individual's personal fears and guilt, and left me sobbing long after the credits had rolled.

A brilliant (screen)play, excellent directing, and exquisite set/costume design would all be meaningless, however, without believable performances. The quality of the cast as a whole ranges from solid to great, Olivia Colman in particular doing a remarkable job of presenting a character divided, love and guilt washing over her in equal parts. But this is Anthony Hopkins's film. His portrayal is breathtaking, powerful, and heartbreaking all at once, a true beast of the art proving why his nomination was so very worthy.

Conclusion: Absolutely! [what's this?]

The Father came out in 2021.